Ice Man
by MissKeith
Summary: Simon Petrikov was a humble man, a good man. A cursed artifact saves him from death during the war, but at what cost? All he knows is that sometimes bad things happen to good people, but if it's the last thing he does, he will protect the ones he loves...and that includes from himself. AU
1. The Chills

The Chills

He rolled onto his side expecting Betty to be home, but he found instead a vacant space. She must have left to work already. Lately, the lab had been calling in a lot of overtime, what with the threat of war looming over the country's head. Sitting up Simon smacked his lips with squinted eyes. He reached over to shut off the alarm, but his hand bumped into something cold and metallic- his crown. Too tired to wonder why the darn thing was in his bedroom Simon pushed it aside and sloppily brought his hand down on the snooze button. His limp wristed hand flopped around his nightstand for his glasses, which he discovered had actually fallen on the floor.

He forced himself from under the covers to bend down and pick them up. Sliding them onto his face and adjusting them he stretched his body, which felt unusually stiff. Simon looked over and saw his reflection in the crown and sighed. He looked terrible. Forcing himself out of bed, Simon trudged to the bathroom. On his way he caught a glimpse of the light snowfall outside- strange for their area.

Simon kept his eyes on the things he needed; toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and mouthwash. This made his reflection even more surprising when he began to brush his teeth- the brush fell between his frozen fingers and clitter-clattered in the sink. Leaning over the counter Simon cringed in pain as blood stained his teeth. And it wasn't just that, Simon didn't look like himself- he just looked…strange. Shakily reaching down and picking up his toothbrush Simon tried to remain calm. He went to work brushing his teeth, something routine that helped him forget the strange man looking back at him. He gasped and threw his toothbrush down after just a few more attempted strokes, covering his aching mouth with a trembling hand. They seemed more sensitive than usual and painfully so.

"What's going on?" he stumbled back, words muffled by the hand pressed over his mouth. "Betty?"

In a frantic fashion Simon pushed his door open and ran out into his living room. Everything was covered in dust and all of his photos were scribbled over. The ones with Betty were burned. He had to get out of there. Fighting with the front lock Simon nearly kicked the door down to get out into the hallway. He was confused to find his apartment complex empty, dusty, papers everywhere that had unfamiliar dates printed on them. The frantic man left the main entrance in a hysteric fashion, tripped and tumbled down the stairs.

Out in the street Simon was hit with the sharp, cold breeze. Shivering on the ground Simon wrapped his arms around himself, ducked his head into his chest to regain some warmth. The cold however seemed to be emanating from within him. He felt like glass as he got to his feet.

His eyes beheld the aftermath of something terrible.

Snow blanketed destruction as if trying to cover up the mess for him. Nothing could have eased the panic growing in his heart. Everything was in shambles around him; the buildings crumbled, the streets cracked and the people…everyone seemed gone. Betty, Simon thought about Betty and where she could be. He ran down the street, bare feet bleeding from the frozen, debris ridden ground. Simon didn't get far, only two apartments down before a horrible ringing filled his ears. Collapsing onto the ground he whined helplessly, bending in half and clawing at his aching head.

Ash mingled with the snow after the first explosion shook everything around him. Simon's mind went blank as the loud noises erased any other sound- even the shrill cries of his own voice. The wind picked up and as Simon stood it swayed him into uneven steps. He ran back to his apartment complex and retreated inside after one last terrified look at the blackened sky. As he slammed the door shut Simon heard a familiar voice outside calling his name.

"Simon!" his heart seized as he realized Betty was outside. "Simon!?"

"Betty? BETTY!?" he called. "Hold on princess, I'm coming!" Simon opened the door and light engulfed him.

xxx

As the light faded away Simon realized that he was in his living room. Betty, Simon's bride to be had just come home from the lab. She sounded concerned as she called his name a third time. Simon answered her with a mangled version of "I'm here", as he tried his best to wiggle out of being half awake.

"Oh, you fell asleep?", she quipped cheerily. "That's good"

The familiar sound of Betty shuffling around at the front door eased Simon out of his heavy sleep. Drool had streamed down the side of his face and he wiped at it quickly. His head fell limply to one side as he considered simply going back to sleep, but couldn't knowing his princess was home. Simon mumbled incoherently as he dug his palms into his sockets and opened his eyes.

His body was currently one with the couch as he had decided to take a nap some hours ago- getting up would be difficult. A foreign weight leaned against the couch and Simon looked up with sleepy eyes to gratefully find Betty leaned over the armrest, the soft strands of her red hair flowing to one side. Her face was tweaked into a strange expression Simon couldn't quite place- somewhere between annoyed and amused was his best guess.

"You're taking naps with it now?" she half joked, smiling to cushion the taunt. "It's a rough mistress, eh? You look terrible Mr. Petrikov"

"Had a nightmare", Simon grumbled as he rolled onto his side.

His thin arm stretched to put the crown on the coffee table. It fell reluctantly from his lose grip, the sound of it resting on the table mildly harsh. Betty eyed the artifact oddly before looking back over at her fiancé, who resembled a sleepy kitten, curled up on the couch. Usually he was about the place cooking and cleaning, or researching in his study but lately…everything just seemed to suck the life out of him. And those dreams, he'd explained some to her and they were just…

"Feels like I didn't sleep at all…" Simon's meek voice brought her out of her thoughts. "And it's cold in here, I think the heater's broken"

"I'm usually the cold one", Betty sighed as she leaned over to press the back of her fingers to his forehead. "Yikes. You feel kind of cold. Maybe it's a cold sweat, I'll get you a blanket"

"I feel ill", Simon sighed as he flopped onto his back. "Sweetheart, could you make me a cup of hot chocolate?"

"Hot Chocolate?" Betty slouched as she lightly flicked the end of his nose. "Okay sicky…hot chocolate"

She wandered into the kitchen, pulled a mug from the cupboard and filled the kettle with water. Betty set it on the stove and turned the pilot on. As she reached over to the cocoa powder Betty found a small neatly stacked pile of mail. Some of them were open and she couldn't help but take a peak. The museum had sent several letters Simon's way, each more promising than the last. They were relentless in expressing their love for the relic he had so recently brought home. Unfortunately for her and them a certain antiquarian had also grown quite fond of the mysterious crest.

His study was already a walk in antique closet, and it wasn't that Betty minded what he did with his space but…some of his finds were migrating into the living room, some had already invaded the bedroom. Simon had so many things strewn about the apartment and **beside** all of that Betty couldn't help but wonder- _what-in-the-world_ was that man going to do with a golden, ruby encrusted crown- become a king?

She strolled back out into the living room to find her fiancé muttering under his breath. If there was any one man who needed a good night's sleep, Simon was that man. Letting out a gentle sigh she lowered the hot chocolate so he could grab hold of it without sitting up. Simon smiled as the warmth of the mug seeped into his skin.

"Thank you, princess", he said with a meek, loving smile.

"You're welcome, hun", Betty offered a smile back as she reached down and smoothed a lump in his hair. "I'm sorry I had to leave to work, if I'd known you were this bad I would have stayed home…"

"They need you", Simon nodded as he tilted his cup back to sip the sweet liquid. "I hope everything is going well?"

"I suppose you could say that?" Betty shrugged. "They keep telling us, war is coming- war is coming…" she paused to pout her lips, deep in thought. "We're doing everything we can to prepare, but…"

"The war", Simon's tone shifted slightly as he continued their conversation. "Those would be strange times"

"Indeed", Betty repeated solemnly.

"Let's push the wedding date forward"

Betty went rigid, and then melted into an exhausted heap on the back end of the couch. She loved the man, but a wedding at a time like this…All things in good time and a good time for all things, her father had always told her when she grew impatient. And Betty had been an adventurous girl. Bending over the back end of the couch she smiled sweetly, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. Simon reached up and scooped her hand into his, brought it to his lips and planted a gentle kiss.

"Princess…be my queen"

"Oh, Simon", she blushed, turning away slightly. "I would be your queen…but now just isn't the right time"

"I'll make it a wedding worthy of a queen", he promised sleepily, his grip on her dainty hand faltering.

"You know…" she ventured to change the subject. "I, um…saw your letters"

He rolled his eyes at the mentioning of it. A local museum had read a newspaper clipping and offered to write Simon a check, a pretty large check…but he wasn't so sure he could part with the crown so soon. There was something…special about it. It had so many secrets; no one knew where it had come from, not even Simon. He had so much to learn about it before he handed it over to a snobby curator to collect dust on a shelf.

"Simon…I just want you to consider it?" Betty was stone face, arms crossed over her chest. "They're offering a lot of money for that thing you got, might I remind you, FOR FREE"

Simon let his head flop to one side. Setting the hot chocolate down Simon picked up the crown, held it in his hands and watched the light bounce off its golden surface. This was his greatest find, far grander than that Enchiridion. That book he had held such high hopes for was laughed at by most as some sort of hoax. It dated back hundreds of years but every time he brought it up all anyone could talk about was the books strange description of a world that wasn't their own. Most people labeled it some ancient nerd's weird diary or joke.

He shook his head and set the crown down on the living room table, adjusting it gingerly till it resembled a centerpiece. Simon looked up at Betty, his eyes pleading with her, his fingertips still lightly pressing against the crown's surface.

"But princess", he whimpered. "Look at it…I can't just sell it- it's beautiful!"

"I'm not arguing that", she spoke calmly, walking with light steps to stand beside him. "It is wondrous, but…hun…"

"I really like it", Simon sounded misplaced as he plucked the crown from the table and set it in his lap. "Think of the stories it holds in there somewhere. I cannot seem to pinpoint the reason, but I feel like…"

"…see? You need to get rid of it before you get too attached", Betty sighed as she smacked the side of her head. "Simon…sweetie, I don't want to control what you do. Antiques are your life and I love you for it, but…we hardly have room in here as it is…and if you sell it", a wry smile played on her lips as she sat beside him. "Just think of the wedding we _could_ have, one day…when all this war stuff is over"

Betty leaned over and planted a small kiss on his jaw- Simon blushed instantly. She reached down, not allowing him time to be flustered, and turned his head. Simon leaned back as she pressed against him, her body warm and her lips soft. When she pulled away he removed his lingering grip on the crown to run his fingers through her red hair. His movements were wistful, as if Simon was in a dream. He sat up and returned the kiss, his rendition with a timid forcefulness. Betty giggled and laced her fingers together behind his head, tugged gently till she pulled herself over the back of the couch. She gave him little Eskimo kisses and tussled his hair lovingly.

Entranced by her beauty Simon reached up and sunk his fingers into her hair. He pressed his forehead against hers, allowing their breaths to mingle in the short distance separating the two of them. Smiling, Simon kissed the end of her button nose. Betty turned her head and covered his mouth with her own, a wicked smile playing on her lips as she tugged gently at his button up shirt. When her hand touched his stomach she pulled it away with a light squeak.

"Oh my goodness! Simon, you're freezing!" she waved her hand back and forth to remove the cold. "Really cold", she made sure to get her point across.

"I'm sorry princess", Simon blushed as he pulled his shirt down. "I- Betty!?"

She grabbed his hands and wrinkled her nose, "It's not that bad", she smiled, leaning in to kiss his cheek, whispering. "I was just surprised, that's all"

Simon leaned back, but light was shinning in his eyes. He looked over and saw the crown and for a moment felt like it was looking back at him. It was a strange sensation. Betty turned his head and he caught her smile right before she kissed him.

xxx

The two lovebirds, entangled in each other's arms awoke to the loud humming of Betty's cell. She peeked out from under her mangled mass of red hair, yawned and slapped her hand over it. Sliding it off the table, she meant to hit ignore, but it was work calling. Planting a light kiss on Simon's forehead she got up and ran into the bedroom to grab her robe, hitting answer on the way. Simon remained in a heavy sleep on his back, snoring lightly.

"Yes?" Betty responded softly as she closed the bedroom door. "You need me to come back in? But, look…this is ridiculous", Betty sighed, pinching her brow. "My fiancé is sick, I can't leave him alone right now…" she paused as the voice on the other end grew more insistent and stern. "But…oh…okay", she agreed reluctantly. "But I'm only staying till the test is done and I'm going home"

Betty hung up the phone and tossed it onto the bed. Dropping her robe she opened her drawers and fished out a clean set of work attire. She dressed quickly and shoved her phone in her back pocket before rushing out into the living room. Stopping by the couch she tried to wake Simon up by nudging his shoulder, but he was out cold. Instead she tucked him in and left a note.

Simon's head rolled over as his brow twitched. His lips parted and moved faintly, as if speaking to someone.


	2. Antiquarian Blues

Antiquarian Blues

Simon woke up with bags under his eyes. Betty was gone, which alarmed him till he saw her note. Relief washed over his face as he came to figure he wasn't in another of those strange dreams. He felt decent at best and figured that he would work a little while he waited for her to return. Lifting the crown Simon was again reminded that it was heavier than it looked. Draping the blanket over his shoulders like a cape he shuffled to his study. At his desk he scratched his head, looking over the scripts and resource book he had laid out for research and reference the previous day. For some reason his mind drew a blank as to where he left off, as if it had been so long ago.

His eyes drifted to the crown, as if it had the answer. Simon wrapped his hands around it, pulled it through the papers and to his chest. There was something special about this crown, he just knew it. Eyes half lit Simon lifted it to his face, jokingly pressed it against his ear.

"Will you tell me your secrets", he told it, holding back a snicker.

There was a sound that made Simon jump and drop the crown. It was as if a wisp of air passed right by him, but what frightened it was that he could of sworn he made out the word 'Yes'. Simon leaned back in his chair, felt his forehead and decided that maybe working wasn't such a good idea in his condition. He left his study and lieu of other entertaining venues. After going through several non-fun-sounding things he came upon his guitar in the closet. Pulling it out, Simon gave it an enthusiastic strum but cringed when he found it was completely out of tune.

Plopping down on the couch he set about getting the instrument working properly. He fiddled with chords and a few songs he knew by heart, but eventually grew bored. Playing was more fun with and audience. Leaving it on the couch he wandered into the kitchen and made himself a fresh cup of coffee and picked up the newspaper. Maybe the crossword would help some time pass. But eventually he got stumped- Betty always helped him with the crosswords. Letting the paper slip through his fingers and fall on the table, Simon suddenly felt like nothing was going to entertain him. A chill ran up his spine and he rubbed his arms. Going back into the living room Simon turned the thermostat up and went back to the couch. Watching TV was better than wandering around the apartment making a mess.

He tried the news but it seemed the same as yesterday; girl was saved by her dog, streak of robberies on Twelfth Street, researchers made a new antidote to that disease going around and a propaganda scare for the war. Simon changed the channel and kept flipping through them till something caught his eye. The history channel was having a special on ancient Egypt. Sinking into the couch with his coffee, the antiquarian got comfy and watched the program with half lidded eyes. Half way through it he nodded off.

xxx

He walked down the street, dust and debris his only companions. Nothing was left of the town but lightly burning carcasses. Simon stopped in the middle of the street and looked around, curious. There were no people, or animals or cars. It was as if everybody but him has simply packed up and left town. Off in the distance he heard an alarm sound, like an old horn that wailed over and over again. When the large puffs of smoke rose into the air the ground shook. Nearly losing his footing Simon ran to a shop that had a brick overhead for cover, just in case. Resting his hand on the fixture he peeked around the edge at the explosions. Even though they were so far away he still found himself nervous and shaking.

"I don't want to be here", he whispered. "I want to go home"

Something bright shined in his eye. Simon followed it to find something golden peeking out beneath a pile of rubble. Dashing over to his, his eyes watching the planes in the distance he reached down and pulled the crumbling rocks aside. He picked the crown up and held it with wonder- how had it gotten here? Simon turned around, watched the smoke in the distance fade away. The plane had gone, he realized. Where did the planes go?

A building just a block from him exploded and like it was the starting pistol to a race Simon began sprinting as fast as he could. His thin legs were quite quick with the adrenaline pumping through his veins. As dangerous as the situation was he felt somehow safer with the crown in his hands. Just next to him a building was hit and he flew off his feet, bouncing off a pile of bricks. Rolling onto the ground, covered in red dust, Simon looked around for a plane but couldn't hear or see one. Another explosion went off and he covered his head, praying that he would survive.

"I don't want to die"

xxx

"Simon?" Betty shook his shoulder in a gentle fashion till his eyes opened. "Did you move at all while I was away?"

"Had another weird dream", he mumbled.

"Yeah", Betty giggled. "I started noticing a pattern"

"It's not funny", Simon wined as he rolled over to cover his face, swollen from sleep. "They're weird"

"Usually you're the one joking around", Betty snickered as she sat beside him. "Oh, you look so cute all sleepy", she quirked her head, adjusting her glasses. "What did you do all day?"

Simon turned his head and stuck his tongue out at her, then hid his face in the couch. Betty fell on top of him, stuffing her arms between his body and the couch. Nuzzling her cheek against his shoulder, a wistful smile graced her features. Closing her eyes Betty savored the moment.

"Well…based on the half completed crossword…not much, eh?"

"It's cold in here", she heard him mumble from the couch.

"You're joking? I'm burning up in here", she leaned over him, kissing his head and pulling his brown hair to the side. "I think you need some…medicine"

"I hate medicine", Simon grumbled. "You can't make me take any"

"What if I…" Betty paused and then attacked Simon, tickling him relentlessly. "-tickle you till you take it!?"

"Wha-ha…hahahahahahaha- stop-pahahha!" Simon flailed, legs kicking up in the air as he tried to squirm out of Betty's reach, eventually falling over the armrest. "Ow", he grumbled as he awkwardly rolled onto his side, a position short lived as Betty threw herself over the armrest to try and tickle him again. "Cut it out!"

Simon ran into the hallway with Betty on his heels. He jumped into his study, avoiding Betty as she ran past the entrance. When she turned around to go after him, her hand was on the doorframe, red hair flying all over as she smiled ear to ear. Her fiancé was hiding behind his desk, hands on it as if it were a fortress. Betty leaned against the wall, taking a moment to straighten her hair. She let out a breath and giggled.

"Oh, is that your fortress?" she laughed, inching her way into the room. "Well it won't deter me"

"It is my castle", Simon proclaimed, standing tall and tucking his hand into the lining of his brown coat to appear regal. He swept his hand across the room with a smile slapped crookedly across his face. "I'm a king", he joked as he plucked the crown from his desk. "And princesses come from all over the land to try and woo me", Simon added while making a kissy face. "But there is only one princess who can win my heart"

"OH!" Betty exclaimed raising her hand up in the air and waving it like a teacher's pet. "I know where you can find her! I know!" she scooted over to his 'castle' and clasped her hands together. "I am the princess you seek"

"Oh", Simon wiggled his eyebrows as he lifted the crown above his head, missing the sharp gleam that traveled across its surface as he did so. "Then let me just put my crown on an-"

"And kiss me?" Betty closed her eyes and waited…but it was as if time stopped. "Simon?"

His entire body froze. Betty at first thought it was some kind of joke, but then Simon started shaking. She ran around the desk and reached out to grab his shoulder. Before her hand touched him his eyes rolled back in his head, leaving them white as he collapsed to the ground. Panicking she fell to her knees and checked his vitals. They seemed normal, but Simon was unconscious, his limbs twitching. Scrambling to her feet Betty fumbled for his desk phone and dialed the emergency number. People were falling sick everywhere and she feared the worst.

They came quickly, put him on the stretcher and brought him to the hospital. Doctors were immediately concerned with his internal body temperature, which was far below normal. Betty told them that Simon had been complaining that he was cold, but had thought he had the chills. An hour after his arrival Simon woke up and didn't remember anything after he had been watching TV. This concerned Betty who decided she'd stay the night at the hospital.

So, three hours later there she was trying to get comfortable in that darn chair they always had in hospitals for visitors. How they expected anyone to be comfortable in that thing she'd never know, but it was worth it to keep an eye on her fiancé. Simon kept insisting that she go home, that he was fine. Betty didn't believe him. He was always making light of bad situations.

"How can I go home if you're here lying in this bed?" she exclaimed, leaning against the bed rail.

"Oh, I'm fine", he assured her with a smile. "I probably didn't drink enough water or something"

"I heard the doctors talking…" concern laced her tone as she adjusted her glasses. "They don't know why you're so cold"

"Hey" Simon quipped to get her to look back at hm. "I'm a cool guy"

"_Seriously?_" she groaned and turned away to pinch her brow. "That's the worst Simon"

"I'm trying to get someone to say _stay frosty_", he added with a grin. "It passes the time"

Betty shook her head and fell back into the chair. Time passed and they talked a little, but eventually both parties fell asleep. Simon woke up first the next day and despite the insistence of the doctors to run more tests, he checked himself out. Betty drove him home and carried his small bag of supplies up the stairs for him.

"Really betty", he sighed. "You don't have to do that"

She set the bag down and unlocked the door. Simon followed her into the apartment, but felt something strange hit him as soon as he did. Looking around he wondered what was different. Betty followed Simon to his study and watched from the threshold as he picked his crown off the floor and shined it with his elbow. He turned and looked her, something about him slightly off. Simon set the crown on the desk and walked back over to her, his arms opening for a hug. Betty wrapped her arms around him, not mentioning at all how incredibly cold he felt.

'_I missed you_'

"I missed you too", he smiled, pecking her cheek gently and missing the confused look that faltered on her face. "I'm going to go wash up"

"Um…okay"

xxx

In the morning Simon found that he actually felt really well. He got up and made breakfast and packed a lunch for Betty. Betty was surprised to see such a turnaround when she woke up to the smell of bacon and waffles. Still in her robe she wandered, sleepy herself from the uncomfortable hospital chair, out to the kitchen. Her fiancé spun on his heel and rushed to give her a kiss, nearly smothering the half-awake woman. She meekly pushed him back and wiped her mouth.

"What's gotten into you?" she questioned. "What's all this?"

"I feel pretty good", Simon exclaimed with a smile. "Whatever they did at that hospital…it worked!"

He wrapped his arm around his soon-to-be-bride and pushed her over to the kitchen table. Betty allowed him to seat her and waited with curious eyes for him to bring her the food he'd been up for some time preparing. She wasn't really that hungry, but didn't want to ruin his good mood- so she ate. He sat beside her, with a hearty serving of his own- he went at the food like a half-starved animal. Simon usually had proper table manners, so the sight was quite strange for Betty to behold. Her food grew cold as she found herself watching Simon scarf down his food. Plate empty, Simon pushed it away with a large grin on his face. But despite his healthy appetite and good mood Betty couldn't help but notice something different about him. Simon looked…different somehow.

"Darling…" she started softly. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel fine", Simon answered her skeptically as he sat back in his chair. "…why?"

"Well…you just ate two pounds of waffles…and you look awfully…pale, or something…I dunno you're skin looks oddly colored"

"The doctors said I was fine", he shrugged it off, after taking a moment to examine his arm. "It may be a side effect of the cold"

"If you say so", she spoke slowly as she stood and grabbed her lunchbox. "Thanks for lunch…I'll be working late tonight. Call if you need anything"

"You worry too much", Simon smiled as he gathered their plates.

Betty stepped to his side, cupped his cheek and gave him a little peck on the lips, "You worry too little sometimes. Take care of yourself"

Betty left. Alone, Simon felt determined to use his health to return to his work. In his study he got his research books set up, but once it came time to read he found himself unable to do so. Whenever he looked down, or started to read the light coming through his blinds would somehow reflect off the crown and shine in his eyes. It was almost like the crown was doing it on purpose to get his attentions. But that was absurd.

Simon picked the crown up, "You lonely? You were home by yourself all night"

'_Missed you'_

Simon froze, "W-What?" he stood and looked around- someone had to be there. "Who's here?"

'_Nobody_', he heard a voice say. '_It's just you and me, Simon_'

"Is this some kind of trick?" he set the crown down and intended to search the apartment- till he heard the voice again.

'_Please, don't leave me alone_', it cooed. '_Come back_'

"The..crown?" he whispered in disbelief as he turned wide-eyed. "Are you the one speaking to me?"

'_Pick me up_', it sounded more like an instruction, then a request or plea.

"Betty said I blacked out after putting you on yesterday", Simon engaged in conversation with the artifact, boyhood dreams of magic and mystery fueling his interest. "You did that to me?"

'_I just wanted to help you_', the crown whispered silkily. '_Aren't you feeling better?_'

"Well…" Simon paused to flex his hands and bounce a little. "Yes…actually. Oh, this is amazing", he was grinning from ear to ear as he ran to the desk. "I can't wait to tell Betty, she'll"

'_-NO'_, the crown snapped. '_She won't understand_'

"But…" Simon walked up to the desk. "Betty's my fiancé…I can't simply, _not_ tell her"

'_Put me on_', it said, a chill running through the air-up Simon's spine. '_Put me on and all will become clear, Simon Petrikov_'

Simon felt compelled to lift the crown from the desk, as if an otherworldly force were pulling his strings. A pleasant chill ran up his spine, like the caress of someone running their fingertips lightly over his flesh. This energy wrapped like a cold ribbon over his arms and aided in lifted them up, as if to go over his head. He struggled a little when he caught the foreign energy controlling his movements and dropped the crown in his efforts to regain control. The crown hit the desk with a hard thud and rolled off the edge and onto the floor, settling into the carpet heavily. Simon gripped his jacket, head spinning as if coming out of a spell. Stumbling back he shook his head, trying to free himself of the strange euphoria consuming him.

"What's wrong with my head?" he groaned as his legs trembled. "I-It's…so cold in here…"

'_Put me on and all will become clear_'

But Simon didn't believe the crown. He scooped it up and threw it into his safe and locked it inside. A dull pain started in his head, eventually growing to force Simon to collapse onto his knees. He applied pressure to his head, digging his fingers into his thick brown hair. Bracing himself on the safe, Simon trembled. The voice kept talking and it seemed to echo from within his skull, leaving him no escape.

'_You cannot simply lock me away Simon_', the crown sounded irritated as its voice filled his head. '_We're partners now_'

Simon saw his breath solidify as it left him and felt a stinging sensation in his lungs when he spoke, "Partners? No…something is dreadfully wrong here…"

'_Nothing is wrong_', the crown spoke and it felt like someone's cool breath was blowing in Simon's ear, making him flinch. '_You just don't understand yet_'

Simon pressed his forehead against the cool metal of the safe, his body trembling. It was not the cold shaking his limbs, but the chills from the strange sensation of someone being there but not being there. A cold sweat covered his brow as he grit his teeth and banged against the door.

"I don't believe you", he breathed, finding his lungs feeling restricted. "I'm sorry but the museum's offer is starting to look pretty good…I just…oh, my chest"

He felt a hard pulse emanate from within him. It felt like a hand had grabbed his heart and squeezed it in an icy grip. What was happening to him? Simon slumped against the safe and fell to the floor, on his side breathing heavily. Eyes squeezing shut he winced

'_Can't get rid of me either_', the crown sing-songed. '_You need me. When the world is burning, I will protect you_'

"What does that mean?" Simon breathed out. "When the world is burning?"

'_When the world burns around you I will be there to put out the flames…_' the crown soothed, '_then you will understand_'

"I'm going now", Simon shouted as he forced himself to his feet and scrambled out of his study, slamming the door shut and locking it tight behind him. "Bad dream…" he murmured with his back pressed against the door. "Just a…bad dream Simon…" wandering into his bedroom, Simon found his legs buckling as he reached the bed- all the energy he had had earlier that day seemed to drain away as he blacked out the moment his head hit the comforter.

xxx

Simon's eyes shot open as he heard the front door jingle. He rolled onto his back and rubbed his eyes with the meat of his palms- they were positively throbbing. Simon wandered, dragging his feet like a zombie into the bathroom, flicked on the lights and turned on the faucet. He watched the water run for a few seconds before he scooped some into his hands and splashed his face. Everything felt weird as he braced himself on the edge of the counter; his body, his head, his throbbing eyes…everything.

Betty came into the room and Simon heard the muffled but familiar sound of her opening drawers through the bathroom door. He figured she was getting her sleepwear, probably ready to collapse after such an eventful couple of days. Leaning over on the door he could tell that she was humming quietly to herself, a trait he found absolutely adorable. A smile found his face, showing some of his teeth as there was the soft sound of shuffling clothes. And then somehow she was leaning against the bathroom door, knocking lightly.

"Simon, sweetheart you in there?" she asked in mischief. "I'm surprised you're still up and about, this time of…morning"

"I fell asleep early", he explained, dabbing his face with the towel. "Hold on I'll be out ina- WHA!?"

"What?" Betty questioned, grabbing the handle- Simon fumbled to lock it before she could enter. "Hey, did you just lock the door!?"

"Give me a second…I'm…uh, indecent…" he lied shakily.

"It's nothing I haven't seen before, I'm sure". She sighed, jiggling the handle. "But…okay, whatever. I'll just go to bed I guess…"

"Goodnight princess", Simon's voice sounded panicked, but Betty was letting it slide for now. "Love you"

"Love you too", she cooed, half yawn through the door. "Night"

Pressing his ear to the door Simon waited for the soft creaking of the bed to step back to the mirror. Simon leaned over the counter as he saw the whites of his eyes. Well, they weren't so much the whites of his eyes and his eyes were completely white. He blinked over and over again, harder and harder in an attempt to change them back. Simon blinked and rubbed and splashed water into them till they were no longer white, but an irritated pink. Oh, he couldn't let Betty see him like this…what would she say?

Simon paced back and forth, hand clasped over his mouth. The crown, he thought- ever since he had brought it home he had started having these issues. Maybe arguing with it wasn't a dream. He unlocked the door and cracked it open, listened for the gentle breathing of his fiancé slumbering peacefully as his cue and snuck out. He as quietly as possible, closed their door.

xxx

Simon found his apartment a strange place- the shadows seemed to be moving about, touching him as he went along the wall to his study. There was a strange energy coming from the room, which made Simon want to turn back and just condemn the room. But then he thought what if his eyes never went back to normal? He had to see if the crown could be reasoned with. Simon swallowed a lump in his throat as he turned the knob and held his breath as he slowly pushed it open. The room was nearly pitch-black, aside from the moonlight peeking through his blinds. He could see everything as clear as day. Simon tried tip toeing into the room, but as quiet as tried to be, still awoke the artifact from its temporary slumber.

'_So you've come back_', it said in a dry tone. '_Hopefully to apologize for locking me in here_'

"What's happening to me?" Simon ran to the safe and set his hands on the top of it for support. "My eyes", he spoke through gritted teeth, "What did you do?"

"Simon?"

The gentle mewl of his fiancé caught him off guard. Simon kept his head bowed low as Betty lingered in the doorway, rubbing her eye and yawning.

"Hun, who are you talking to?" she asked him quietly.

"Uh…" his eyes darted wildly as if the answer was written somewhere on the floor. "Nobody…"

'_Oh, good one Simon_' the crown mocked softly.

"You're such a bad liar", Betty grumbled. "Well I don't know what you're doing…but stop fooling around in here and come to bed", she turned to leave, but paused to add. "The doctor said to get plenty of rest"

'_Bossy isn't she?_' the crown whispered in Simon's ear. '_You're better than that Simon. Nobody should boss you around_'

"Quiet you", Simon grumbled as he stood and rubbed his eyes. "Don't talk about Betty like that", a moment passed and then he thought again about upsetting the only thing that could turn his eyes back to normal. "Look…earlier you said we were partners? Right now I feel like I'm getting the short end of the stick in this relationship. Maybe if you…change my eyes back I will rethink selling you to the museum"

'_Let me out_', the crown said, short and sweet.

Simon figured it couldn't hurt so he undid the lock and opened the door. There was the crown, light shinning off its gorgeous surface. He reached in to grab it and noticed the air inside was frigid. It really was beautiful; Simon thought as he felt the weight in his hands and looked over the craftsmanship. And despite what was happening to him the whole thing was…magical. This time he truly found a relic worthy of legend, an ancient item of power. In his hands he could feel energy emanating off of it and stood for a moment in wonder. Such a moment was shattered when he heard Betty call from the bedroom.

"Simon", she sighed. "Please stop standing in the dark talking to yourself and come to bed"

His eyes narrowed slightly in annoyance as they shifted to the doorframe, "Coming _princess_", he shouted back.

"No need to be rude!" Betty snapped.


	3. Home Videos

Home Videos

Simon adjusted the camera, his hands shaking a bit. Before he hit play he scampered over to his study room door and pressed his ear against it to assure that Betty was occupied. Creeping back over to the camera he reached out, finger lingering for a moment before he pressed play. It came to life, a small image of Simon showing up in the small screen. Checking that he would be in frame the camera caught his eyes, which were completely white. The crown was on his desk, in frame behind him. He had wanted to lock it up in the safe, but that only angered it. The crown yelled at Simon when it was angry and it felt like someone stabbing his brain with an ice pick when it yelled. At the moment it was quiet, so he didn't mind it being out anyway.

"Hello, you already know me from my many journal entries…" Simon began, gesturing a hand briefly over to his bookshelf, which had an entire row of VHS tapes. "That is if anyone ever watches these, they're mostly for my records…" he trailed off momentarily, eyes glazing over as if he'd forgotten what he was going to say. "On a recent trip to Scandinavia I acquired the artifact you see behind me…it's a crown"

Simon walked back and stood beside the crown. His hand reached out to the crown, shaking slightly before picking it off the table. With a nervous expression Simon looked down, cradling it more than he was holding it.

"The crown…speaks to me…now I know I joke a lot", a dry laugh left him as he shrugged his shoulders "…but I'm extremely serious, _extremely serious_ when I say…it really does", he licked his lips to wet them, his throat feeling parched. "At first when I brought it home I got a fever, which is inconclusive as to whether this was due to the crown or my trip to Scandinavia…but the day, three days ago- I- I put it on", Simon stuttered as he felt the temperature dropping. "And I blacked out. Afterward I felt fine, whew boy- better than fine. But then, my eyes", he walked forward so the camera could see them clearly. "They've turned white. I can see quite normally, but I've had to wear contacts to keep my fiancée, Betty in the dark about all this. I…I don't want her to worry about me any more than she does already"

xxx

"You're coming to bed so late", Betty whispered groggily as Simon got under the covers. "What were you doing…more research?"

"Sorry I woke you up, sweetheart", Simon hushed quietly, reaching out to run his fingers through her hair lovingly. "Go back to sleep"

Betty smiled when he leaned over and lightly kissed her forehead. His lips were a bit cold, but it was sweet- the best part about Simon was how adorable he was. She cracked her tired eyes open and wiggled over to his side of the bed. Simon tried to scoot away, feeling he might make her uncomfortable being as cold as he was. Her dainty little hands grabbed onto him anyway and she cuddled her way into his arms. Puckering her lips, Betty tilted her head back and planted a light kiss beneath his chin. Betty nestled into his shoulder. Her breath was warm against his chilled body and it helped comfort Simon into a light sleep.

In the morning he opened his eyes first; they itched, almost void of moisture. He'd have to find another brand of contact lenses, as these were no good for sleeping in. Beneath him he felt Betty stir in her sleep. Looking down at her with a caring glance he kissed the top of her head and gave her a gentle squeeze. Simon loved her more than anything.

"Simon?" Betty breathed into his neck.

"Morning princess", he smiled, turned his head to kiss her temple as he brushed the bangs aside. "Did you sleep well?"

"It's kind of cold", she murmured while snuggling closer to him, ignorant to the fact that the cold was coming from his body. "You feel cold too"

"Sorry", Simon apologized, and it wasn't just for the temperature.

"You can't control the weather", she breathed out a little laugh. "But you can make me a cup of hot coffee?"

"Sure princess", Simon sighed with a content smile.

As Simon sat up Betty, still half asleep, reached over and loosely laced her arms around his neck. She nuzzled his neck and gave him a few kisses. His cold hand grabbed hers and held it with a firm grip. Turning his head Simon leaned down and pressed a small kiss on her lips before he regretfully motioned to stand and fulfill her request for something warm. Betty grabbed a handful of his shirt and gently tugged him back into the covers. A pink hue dusted Simon's nose as she leaned forward and tenderly touched his lips with her own, murmuring something about him being in a hurry.

…

Exiting the bedroom several minutes later, Simon strolled into the kitchen, threw some bread in the toaster and whistled while preparing two cups of coffee. Leaning against the counter he saw his face in the reflection off the toaster and watched himself slowly frown. Something looked wrong with him- aside from the skin color. His face, what was it. Leaning closer Simon reached up and tapped his nose, thinking it looked…bigger?

But that was absurd.

xxx

Simon hit record and stepped back, worry in his eyes. His skin was an odd color that looked sickly grey blue. Taking a brief moment to adjust his glasses, Simon looked away as he considered just turning the thing off. Aside from his skin and eyes, his hair had started growing rather fast and it looked shabby due to his constant efforts to keep it the way it usually was. When he grinned at the electric eye of his camera it was bittersweet. He didn't want anyone to see him like this- he looked haggard. And no matter what he wore- he was usually a well dressed man -he just looked awful.

"Simon again…you know, it's always me", he shivered as he paced back and forth. "I-I'm so cold, but Betty won't let me turn on the heater anymore…she said something about the bill…" Simon trailed off and his hands began to flex as if he expected to be holding something; he picked the crown off the desk before continuing, his voice smoothing out a little with his in his arms. "I…I've been seeing strange things, everywhere lately. I screamed at an old woman at the market because I thought there was a creature on her shoulder", he cracked a weak, crooked smile as he gathered his thoughts. "I was just trying to help, but the old bat nearly had a heart attack…Betty thought it was a joke. I…I think she suspects something is wrong with me. I don't want her to see me, like this", he gestured to himself. "So I put on make-up…thank goodness for cousins and their twisted princess games", Simon paused, eyes darting left and right as if something was flying around his head. "The crown keeps telling me things…things I don't always understand"

"Simon!?" Betty called from the hallway.

Simon looked from the door to the crown before he reluctantly set it down and scampered to hesitantly answer through the door, "Yes? Do you need something?"

"I was wondering what you're doing in there? You've been in there for hours talking to yourself"

"I'm not talking to myself", that was only a half lie- he had been talking to the crown. "I'm making my video recordings"

"Oh…Okay"

Simon recognized the worry in her tone. He didn't want his princess to fret over him. Sliding down to the ground and slowly brought his knees up to his face, wrapped his arms around them and went inside himself. A wave of emotion hit him, making his shoulders shake. It seemed his moods were shifting- he'd be diagnosed as bipolar, if he had to guess what it was. For the most part he had it under control…it happened the more he was around the crown. Something made him freeze and Simon looked up, dark circles under his narrowed eyes. The usually gentle man looked gaunt as he grit his sore teeth.

"Shut up!" he yelled as he charged, knocking over the camera.

xxx

Simon was in his study, writing notes in his journal when Betty opened his door. He cursed himself for forgetting to lock it. Leaning back in his chair he gave his princess a smile and she blushed. She nibbled on her bottom lip, a smile Simon recognized gracing her flushed features. Auto pilot kicking in as she dashed off towards the bedroom, Simon scampered after her. He burst in and came to a skidding stop, panting for some odd reason. Betty was sitting on their bed in a pink tank top, waiting. Waiting for him.

"Oh, so you do have a little time for me", she joked with a sly smile.

"I'll squeeze you in", Simon chuckled. "I just need to cut out my one bathroom break and cut a few minutes off my drum solo"

"Always the funny man", she smirked as she leaned in, bit paused. "Simon", she sounded confused as she pointed at something. "We have no use for that right now"

Simon looked down, realizing that he had brought the crown, "Of course…silly me"

Simon set the crown beside the bed, smirking as he walked into the waiting arms of his fiancé, wiggling his eyebrows as he softly pressed his nose against hers, "Why, hello there pretty lady"

"Why hello there, hansom sir", Betty responded with a little devilish smirk that sent real chills up Simon's spine.

Betty met his lips as she reached down and untucked his blue button up shirt. He nudged his leg between hers, easing her back, grinning as he sunk his fingers into her mass of silky red hair. She shivered; biting her lower lip when his hands trailed downward, his frigid fingertips skimming the surface of her bare arms.

"You are implausibly beautiful", he whispered as the kiss gently broke.

"You sweetheart", Betty sighed as she felt the fabric of his shirt.

"Always did have a sweet tooth", he joked gently.

Her breath mingled with his as she laughed softly into another loving kiss. Pink dusted Betty's face as she felt the cool skin beneath his shirt, pulling him closer by the hem of his pants. Simon cupped her cheek, nestling his nose into her strawberry scented hair. Reaching up, fingers fumbling, Betty began undoing the buttons on his shirt, but stopped. Simon looked down at her now still form, a little flustered. Beneath the fabric Simon looked like a ghoul, his skin a strange unnatural color. Her eyes snapped up to his with a questioning stare.

Simon blushed and pulled away from her when he realized what she saw, fisting his shirt closed and breaking eye contact. Simon hid his face beneath his bangs, reaching up with a free hand in a feeble attempt to hide the rest. God, he felt so…_embarrassed_. Suddenly he felt so exposed, so disgusting. Betty stepped forward with a question lingering on her lips, but seeing that he was extremely distressed, waited for Simon to calm down a little first. When his breathing steadied Simon dared to look at her through his fingers. Concern was all he saw.

'_Good luck explaining this one_', the crown chuckled from the nightstand.

"Princess…" he began feebly, ignoring the voice in his head. "Let me explain…"

"What's wrong with your skin!?" she stuck her hand out, waving it frantically at his chest. "You're skin, it's almost blue! You need to go to the doctor!"

"No…I'm not going to the doctor", Simon sighed as he buttoned his shirt back up. "Won't do any good, going to the doctor", he looked up at her with a hesitant joust, adding. "Just give me an apple, I'm fine"

"Be serious", she snapped. "What's going on?" Betty questioned, walking into his space. "You've been hiding something from me…I can see it, that guilty look is in your eye"

'_Tell her the truth Simon_', the crown egged him on, its presence twisting up Simon's spine like a puppeteer pulling strings. '_Go on…tell her_', it paused heavily and then growled in a low threatening voice. '_Tell her Simon, or __**I will**_"

"Please, don't", he whimpered, digging his fingers into his scalp. "Please…"

"Who are you talking to?" Betty questioned in quiet bewilderment.

'_You weak little thing_', it hissed. '_There is no place in the new world for the weak minded- tell your pretty little Betty that she's going to die_'

"No one's going to die", he murmured, forgetting that Betty was still in the room as he turned to glare at the crown.

'_Maybe not you, Simon…I wouldn't say everyone is an accurate estimation of survivors_', the crown smugly added.

"Shut up!" Simon snapped, though not at Betty. "Leave me alone!" Simon looked up and saw the hurt sinking into his beautiful Betty's face. "N-No…Betty, not you…I wasn't talking to you"

"Then who!?" she snapped, stomping her foot. "There's nobody here but you and me, Simon…" she paused, shook her head in disbelief as she muttered, just loud enough for him to hear. "…you're acting crazy"

"I'm not crazy" he pleaded, anxiety shaking his hands- he fumbled and picked up the crown. "Betty…it's the crown! I'm not crazy!"

Betty looked at the crown. She then looked up at Simon.

"Well I'm sorry Simon", the sarcasm took over her tone as she commented "But you're _acting_ crazy", she laced her hands together and tried her best to soften her voice when she saw the distress in his face. "Look…I don't know if this is a joke…or if you're being serious"

"I'm being serious", he begged for her to believe him. "Betty, sweetheart…why would I joke about something like this?"

"Then you're delusional", she concluded. "Your skin…locking yourself in the study, talking to yourself. Honey, do you need help?"

"No…I'm fine…really"

Simon tightened his grip on the crown. Despite it being the source of his plight, he felt compelled to find comfort in it. Betty noticed his strange behavior and reached out for the artifact, intending to take it from him.

"Simon. This is ridiculous- just put that stupid crown down and talk to me"

"It's not stupid you irksome cur", his voice cracked as he growled. "And if you touch it with those filthy hands I'm going to chop off your fingers!"

"What's wrong with you!?" she sputtered, thinking she must have misheard him. "I'm calling for an ambulance because either you're completely mad or you're just being a jerk!"

"I…I d- nothing is wrong with me!" Simon stammered, feeling confused and scared as tears welled up in his eyes. "I…don't know…"

Simon felt that horrible sensation in his head again and touched his temple. His face fell, the slow realization that he wasn't acting like himself sinking in. Embarrassment left him feeling hot for the first time in days as red streaked across his face. It was as if a cloud evaporated in his mind. Simon suddenly looked concerned, panicked. He fled.

"Simon?" her voice was still shaking as she chased after him. "Get back here!"

He ran into his study with the artifact cradled in his arms, hastily locking the door behind him. Breathing heavily, leaning his back against the door he shut his eyes and prayed that everything would just go back to the way it was before he brought that stupid crown home. Betty banged on the door and startled him. He looked around as if a solution were to be found in his study. All he saw was the crown in his arms.

'_Hiding from your woman?_' the crown's mocking laughter echoed in Simon's head. '_Pathetic, Simon_'

"Betty", his voice trembled as he turned and pressed his sweating forehead against the door. "Please…Betty, just go back to the room and stay there", his breathes shortened till he was panting on the floor, covering his face with his shaking hands whispering, "Please, Betty", over and over again.

"Simon!" her voice was stern, demanding he's open the door. "Let me in or I'm going to find something to break it down! Right now!" She waited, her body tense, "You can't just…" her voice broke as tears burned her eyes. "You can't say horrible things like that and expect me to just…_sit in the room_! What's wrong with you!?"

"Betty!" Simon snapped, "Just GO AWAY!"

He heard her gentle, surprised gasp through the door. Never being the type of man to yell or scream or snap, Simon knew he must have scared her. But she couldn't see him like this; he couldn't bear for anyone to see him like this, especially _her_. She kept _insisting_ he open the door. Nagging and crying and nagging. Simon couldn't take it, couldn't bear to hear her cry. Hands clawing at his head he tried to block her out, tried to calm his mind. The crown latched onto his torment and twisted it in its favor.

'_Simon_', it whispered, '_I can numb this pain. Put me on, just for a moment_', it cooed and his hands trembled. '_Remember last time? You enjoyed yourself, I know it_'

Simon sat up, eyes wide. He remembered he had put it on recently- hadn't he? It was fuzzy but he recalled feeling that…wonderful bliss. _No Simon_, he thought, shaking his head. Closing his eyes he tried to think of a plan. Going outside was out of the question- he didn't want to upset Betty. But on the other hand, if he remained in the study she'd probably call the fire department or something to break the door down. Simon was stuck between a rock and a hard place…and there was the crown, in his arms. Surely it would listen to him. It would believe he didn't mean to hurt her feelings.

"She's so upset", he whined, curling forward into a ball. "I didn't mean to say those things"

'_I know you didn't_', the crown was a gentle companion, easing Simon with a short wave of euphoria. '_Come on Simon, poor baby. I'll make it all go away_'

He sat back breathing rough, looking so tired. Simon lifted his arms, limp like a marionette. He looked up toward heaven as he realized this thing he possessed was demonic and apologized because he knew that by doing what it wanted he was sinning. But he just wanted to know peace, for a second. He wanted Betty to stop crying. If only he knew the price of his actions, Simon never would have set the crown a top his head.

Betty jumped back as the study door opened and Simon stepped out. There was something different about the way he was moving, the way he spoke and the way he looked at her. His eyes, usually so full of love and warmth were COLD. She suddenly felt like she should have let him be, but no- he needed to give some answers and a proper apology.

"Why are you acting like this?" she tried to smooth the anger out of her voice, but it shook in the back of her throat. "Just tell me…I'll help you" she mourned, "I love you"

"Look at you", he scoffed in disgust. "You useless thing, moaning and whimpering- _bothering_ me", he narrowed his eyes as he stood forward, smiling as he forced Betty's back to the wall. "You think _you're_ the one in charge here?" he growled, slamming his hands to the wall to block her escape. "I'm the one with the _power_. I could break you if I wanted"

"Simon…" she whimpered, looking away. "…please I"

"Look at me when I'm speaking to you!" he screamed, grabbing her head and throwing her to the ground.

Betty landed roughly and didn't pick herself up right away. Simon wasn't a particularly big guy, but he was stronger than her. She crooked her head up, starring in fright. What had happened to him, she wasn't sure…she just knew the trembling was from fear.

"When the world burns and your flesh is melting from your bones, I will be the only one left to speak. Let's see you bother me then", his lips pulled back into a venomous grin, the roots of some freckled with fresh blood. "Or maybe I'll put you out of your misery now, you stupid girl"

"You're stupid!" Betty screamed as he grabbed her hand and in a fit of rage yanked her engagement ring from her finger. "You JERK!"

The golden band flew through the air. It hit Simon's nose, a soft impact because it was so little, but it woke him up. A tremor of shock and terror ran through his body as Betty looked at him in disgust and stormed off into the bedroom. Simon yanked the crown off his head, looked at it with disdain and threw it to the floor. He ran into the room to find out what had happened, what he had said to make his princess frown, but when he put his hands on Betty's shoulders she screamed. She pulled pepper spray from her purse and shot it right in his eyes.

"Мои глаза!" Simon screeched

"Don't even try and use your sexy voice on me mister!" Betty shouted, readying the spray for a second round. "That's not going to stop me from leaving!"

Stumbling back in utter agony, Simon fought through the near unbearable pain of his contact lenses trapping the toxins to form a plea to his love, "Betty!" he cried. "Princess, don't go…please!?"

"I'll call you", she glared as she opened the front door. "But I wouldn't hold your breath"

The door slammed shut, leaving Simon alone. He fell to his knees, the confusion only fueling his despair. What had he said…what had he done? Hitting his head against the floor Simon slammed his fists down and let out a mournful wail. Heart pounding, Simon panicked- thought he was going to have a heart attack if he didn't get it together. This wasn't helping anyway, so he forced himself to sit up and smacked his face like old timey heroes did on TV. Only problem was…he didn't feel much better, in fact he felt something snap in his mouth. His lips parted and a mixture of blood and saliva poured out. Something hard was swishing around in there. After moving the strange object around a bit, Simon spit a tooth into his hand.

"As if my day couldn't get any worse!"

xxx

Simon sat in front of the camera, behind his desk, eyes closed, panting. His hair, now longer had turned a dulled gray, his skin blue, his face a stranger to him. Undoubtedly his nose _did_ get bigger. He fiddled like a child with the empty spot in his mouth, the blood still fresh in the latest vacancy. The crown was nestled in his arms, which wrapped around it protectively. He nudged it with his nose lovingly before looking over at the camera. As he spoke his breath clung to the air.

"Betty said she would call me…but I haven't heard the phone ring in days…" he said sounding displaced. "But I'm sure she'll call soon…any minute my princess will find the grace in her sweet candy heart and come home and she'll see the flowers and run into my arms…" pressing his face against the crown Simon sighed, his breath frosting its surface. "…I miss her terribly"

((Author's Note))

Here's my curse. Whenever I LOVE a story, no one reads it. lol. But that's cool, cause i'm going to keep writing anyway- gotta get these feels out somehow. So, I hope you enjoyed it, sorry about the Simon going crazy thing (I know it's not exactly canon anymore, but I love it too much to let it go)

R&R


	4. In the Wreckage

In the Wreckage

"Reports…planes ha…en made all o…er the country", the radio went in and out of transmission, "…shelters are full, all we can do…stay in ins…and pray…"

A blue hand reached over and turned the dial over, then slunk back to its owner. Simon sat in the shade of the corner, his white eyes looking outside his cracked window mournfully. All that talk of war had become reality. His city had been hit weeks ago and unlike his neighbors, unlike everybody it seemed…Simon had survived. It was a burden really. Simon's head fell into his hands when he heard the gentle coo of his only company. It was the crown…his crown. Burying his face he tried to block it out, but alas it was coming from within him it seemed.

'_You should be happy, Simon. You survived the first wave where so many others have perished. This is the power of ice and snow_'

"I never asked for any of this", Simon moaned, trying not to let it hear as he whispered. "I just want my Betty"

'_Oh'_, the crown scoffed. '_You'll forget about her soon enough_'

"I love her", Simon snapped. "You can't take that away from me", he pulled his face out of his hands and glared at it, sharply slamming his fist onto the table as he snapped "Now shut up before I put you back in the safe"

'_You can't threaten me, Petrikov. You're the one who needs me_', it softened its tone to ease Simon's ears to open. '_Without me you'd die and never find your precious princess_', it allowed him a moment to let the words sink in and then added mischievously. _'…If your princess is even still alive_'

"Don't say things like that", Simon said sadly. "It's…not funny…"

xxx

Simon stood in the bathroom starring at the stranger starring back at him. The mirror was as broken as his heart, but he tried to force a smile on his face. What else did he have? As he curled his lips a small stream of red stained the corner of his mouth. He didn't bother to wipe it away. Red was a warm color. In his hand he held another tooth, the seventh to fall out by this time. He didn't want to look, but unable to help himself Simon leaned forward and opened his jaw. Besides the vacancy were inhuman looking things, long and sharp. Snapping his mouth shut he turned away from the mirror and ventured into his bedroom. _His bedroom_. His because…she no longer shared it with him.

"Where have you gone my princess?" Simon turned his head to look out the window as he whispered, "has the world swallowed you up or are you somewhere…waiting for me?"

'_That's pathetic_', the crown scoffed. '_Where does that silly goop come from?_'

"You wouldn't understand the wanting of a broken heart", Simon told it simply. "You don't know the warmth of love. How could you compare it to this everlasting cold?"

Silence befell the crown as it seemed in a strange turn of events it had nothing more to say. Simon didn't smile or even acknowledge his small victory. It didn't really matter at this point, the crown was still winning. The mattress was quite worn but Simon climbed into it anyway. He tried to force himself to sleep- a feeble attempt to pass the rest of the day more quickly. Cold and hungry, all he could manage to think about was what the point of it all was? Was he going to spend the rest of his life trying to sleep just so he didn't have to be awake? As his eyes restlessly drifted shut a sharp, foreboding noise filled the air.

RRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOW WWW!

Simon sat up, his hair flying around his face. That sound was the alarm of an incoming attack. Planes would be passing by, dropping bombs and heaven knew what else. He didn't want to go through that again, the explosions and the burning bodies,_ the horrid smell_. Despite his inward objections the world around him shook as bricks and glass became nothing but bits of dust. Simon tried to steady his breathing as he ran and grabbed his emergency backpack. The last thing he grabbed reluctantly was the crown. This was because as much as he hated to admit it- he did need it. Outside chaos was around him. He heard people screaming and whistles blowing as he ran from the apartments and out into the street. Scrambling to keep his footing Simon managed to escape the range of a missile that was very close to home. Debris fell around him and by some miracle he managed to run through unscathed.

'_You're going to get yourself killed you stupid man!_' the crown bellowed. '_They're too close to run_'

"And the people…" Simon breathed as he braced his back to a brick wall. "All these…people, they're going to…"

'_These people…_' the crown growled. '_Not worth the air they breathe'_

"They're still people", Simon exclaimed as he grabbed his chest, his suit suddenly feeling very tight. "Th…they…oh…"

'_You know Simon…you have the ability to protect them_'

"I know what you're trying to do", Simon snapped, clutching the crown with pained eyes. "And…"

'…_and you're going to let them die?_'

The breath in his lungs hitched. Was he going to let them die? Simon lifted the crown, held it above his head as the buildings began to fall around him. Shutting his eyes he mentally prepared for his thoughts to be twisted and manipulated. With the utmost regret, he eased his grip and the crown fell onto his head, like a heavy burden. Hands clawing out he felt the power consume him, the warmth of the world leave his body as winds picked up at his feet. Simon growled as the bombs fell, suddenly so filled with anger and annoyance. His hand lashed out and from it sprung forth ice and wind that froze the projectiles. They came crashing down into the street covered in thick layers of ice. Thrusting his arms above his head he conjured a storm. Above his head a swirling icy wind vortex blew and spread to the sky. Clouds blocked out the sun and hale fell in the darkness hovering over the city. The sound of bombs dropping was replaced with the sharp resonance of ice as the planes started raining down from the sky. All the while Simon screamed, he cried, he laughed till his body felt like it was breaking.

"Leave me alone!" he screamed in a voice that wasn't his own. "Leave or shatter to pieces!"

It wasn't till Simon felt his breathing weaken that he woke up enough to realize the planes were gone. He blinked, mind a muddled mess of thoughts and impulses. There were shadows…creatures- people. _People_ were on the floor, looking at him with wide eyes. Simon let out a hard breath and things cleared up. He saw the fear in their faces and used that as leverage to rip the crown from his head. With trembling shoulders Simon watched it sink into the snow. Opening his mouth to speak did nothing but prompt the people to flee, leaving the man who had saved them standing amongst the wreckage with an outstretched hand. Simon looked down at his claws and closed his eyes. When he opened them they focused on the crown, glimmering triumphantly in the light of the fires. Although he didn't want to Simon picked it up and brushed the snow from its surface- he stood with it in his hands, feeling the chill of a voice laughing in the back of his skull.

'_Do you see, Simon?_' the crown lulled softly. '_This power…it is beyond what you can imagine_'

"I don't want it", Simon said plainly, softly. "I don't want to frighten people…"

'_Because making them laugh with your silly jokes is SO much better_', it sneered mockingly. '_Stop being difficult. Accept the gift you've been given…because as I've told you before…we shall be one whether you like it or not, so you might as well play along_'

"I never was adept at following instructions", he joked in a flat tone as he began to walk. "If I must endure this horrid game, I will play my way thank you very much"

xxx

The world was broken. Simon remembered when he joked about the bombs as he had joked about everything else. Well, he wasn't even smiling now. After a long hike he needed a rest, his body which was still changing despite himself was not reacting well to the hot day. His clothes clung to him and sweat dripped down the curve of his nose but what was he going to do about that? There was no water to drink. He had no place to stay other than the shade of a tank. Reaching up he lightly tugged repeatedly at his collar to let the heat escape. Simon felt like drifting off to sleep, his head already rolling to one side when he heard a soft noise. Opening his eyes he forced himself to his feet and followed the body of the tank. Peeking around the corner he saw a small group of men dressed in shambled clothing. They didn't look too friendly.

"Aw, garlic balls", he muttered under his breath. "Okay…I'll just sneak away"

As Simon began to creep back he bumped into a trashcan and as it fell he swore it was the LOUDEST darn trashcan in the world. As the lid swirled he heard the men muttering and broke into a sprint. They rounded the tank and he willed his legs to keep going, to move faster. Unable to outrun them Simon jumped into a dumpster. He curled into a corner, brought his knees to his chest and prayed they didn't know where he was. A minute passed and Simon let out a sigh, thinking they had gone. Suddenly the lid flew open, blinding Simon with the bright light of the sun. As he covered his eyes a hand came in, grabbed the top of his backpack and yanked him out into the back alley. The brute tossed him into the center of the group.

Simon tried to keep his head down, but they sounded like dirty fighters so he looked up. The leader just quirked a brow while the others gasped at his appearance. Simon spun around, trying to find a way out of the horrible mess he'd gotten himself into. As he motioned to leave a few of the men blocked his path in more than one direction. Simon spun around, his hands out and axious.

"What the hell is it?" one of them grunted, reaching out and pushing Simon's backpack, making him stumble forward. "It's blue and junk"

"Maybe it's a mutant" another blurted out as he tapped his bat against the butt of his boots. "We should kill it, whatever it is"

"I am a mutant!" Simon squeaked, his mind running a mile a minute. "I'm radioactive too! You better not t-touch me…or go near me or anything…lest you want to lose that spiky hairdo of yours to radiation poisoning…b-back away"

The oaf with the bat jabbed him. Simon growled, balling his fists as he turned to say something and was jabbed harder. He held the now tender spot with his hand, which ironically worked decently as an ice pack. Simon saw them observing him, the blue old man with the backpack and golden crown. The young men looked him over, his story the best explanation for his appearance. Who knew anymore, really. But, they did see something they found very interesting. They saw Simon's crown. Something like that had to be valuable to someone. The leader stepped up to Simon and looked down, pointing at it.

"Give me that thing on your belt", he ordered in a gruff voice.

"What?" Simon's hand latched onto the crown. "I have other things you can have…but I cannot part with this", he tried to reason. "Please…you don't want it"

Simon shook his head, his matted hair flopping lightly around his skull. The man did not hear Simon's words and attempted to snatch it from his belt. In a fit of panic, driven by reflexes Simon held the man at bay and struggled to keep him from reaching it. Unable to wrestle out of his grip, Simon resorted to biting him. The teeth that had grown back were sharp and tore through the man's arm without much pressure. His deep voice bellowed as blood poured down his arm. Simon pushed himself off the man with the taste and smell of iron staining his senses. A hard object, the bat most likely, struck Simon's back and sent him reeling forwards. Luckily his pack had absorbed most of the blow and he was able to catch himself on the ground. The man screamed that he was infected and others the others rushed to his side to see the damage like children at a playground incident. Simon took this opportunity to run. He yanked the crown from his belt and clutched it for dear life as he fled.

The group chased after him, but this time Simon didn't hide. They found him standing in the street with regret etched into his features, "I didn't want to have to put it on", he told them shakily, "but you've left me with little options…leave or I will"

They cut him off with hysterical laughter, making senile grandpa jokes at Simon's expense. Simon, who wasn't really that old, took offense to them. The leader pushed past the others, a ripped piece of shirt tied around his arm.

"Your head is mine", the man growled. "You want that crown so bad? I'll put it on your head after I put it on a spite old man"

"Please…" Simon begged as he stumbled backward. "Please don't make me put it on…I beg you to see reason…can't we all just get along?"

"You are once crazy old man", the brutish youth shook his head disapprovingly as he reached out for Simon.

But he didn't get the chance. Simon put the crown on and sent him flying back on a wave of snow. As his body was quickly buried the others fled screaming like children. Their leader clambered out of the snow and froze at the sight before him; a monstrous looking goblin with long white hair, jagged teeth and white eyes. The goblin didn't look malicious though, he looked…sad. Tears fell from his eyes as they boy also fled. Simon fell to his knees and the crown toppled off the top of his head. As his mind cleared he wiped the cold water from his eyes and sniffled. He looked down at the crown and bowed his head.

"I'm…not crazy", he whimpered. "I'm not…"

'_I believe you'_, the crown commented, a smug toned laced in the voice within Simon's head.

"Oh, just shut up for once will you?" Simon snapped. "Put yourself in my shoes, here I am out in the Fallout…and the only person who will talk with me is…is…you!"

'_I don't have feet_'

"Now…you're just being mean", Simon grumbled as he continued on his way.

He walked toward the setting sun, down the main street of whatever city he was in. Looking at the scenery Simon concluded that it was probably a nice place to live once. There were lots of trees, all dead now but they'd grow back eventually. Many of the buildings had been picked clean of food but he managed to find an ironic can of beans. As it got dark Simon set up camp, laying his sleeping bag on the floor and using his matches to light a fire. Simon found himself entranced by the dancing flames. He held his hands close to the fire, as close as he could, just hoping the warmth would absorb the bitter cold aching in his limbs. Despite the fire and warm food when Simon laid down to rest a frosty puff of air left his bated breath.

xxx

Days quickly became weeks, and weeks…those somehow became months. Months of endless walking and scavenging for food. The more Simon travelled the less he saw of people and the more he saw of…whatever was coming out of the aftermath of this war. Creatures, was what he called them, simply creatures. Every once in awhile he'd find a human but they would always be afraid of him, throw things at him and ultimately run away. It was a hard life for a man who was so used to socializing to suddenly be all alone.

And not a day went by that he didn't think about Betty, his beautiful Betty. Even if she were still upset with him Simon hoped to see her one more time. If he was going to lose his mind he wanted the last thing he remembered to be her face. It was a growing truth that when he thought of her only a few things came to mind; red hair, glasses and a sweater…green maybe? Simon's eyes teared up whenever he tried to remember her face. If he saw her he no doubt would recognize her, but Simon also knew that her face was being blurred by the crown's influence. Another city popped up over the horizon and if it weren't for his map Simon would think he was travelling in circles. But, no this place was new even if it was the same as the others he'd visited- broken, empty and no Betty.

His head tilted back and Simon looked up into the sky. He closed his eyes and prayed for someone, anyone to hear him. Simon, knowing this transformation was likely permanent didn't bother to waste time on his appearance…he wished for something to help him keep his mind. Now his eyes weren't on the road so this was how Simon nearly tripped on a pebble the size of a softball.

Simon opened his eyes and saw a little girl along the broken road. She was standing there all alone, crying out for her mother. This world was no place for a child. It broke his heart to see such a small thing in such misery. Walking into her vicinity he caught her teary eyes, too blurred by remorse and fright to think about being in danger. Children were so trusting when they found themselves in need. Instincts made them believe that others would take care of them. Simon sadly knew better, that others would not be so kind as to add another mouth to feed.

He came to her side and she looked up at him with her big red eyes. It was then Simon realized that this girl wasn't human, but she was still a child with no one to care for her. Kneeling down Simon reached out, somewhat hesitant at first that she would fear him. But when the girl did not flinch, he lightly wiped a tear from her cheek. Her teary eyes lightened at the kindness of the gesture and filled with affection. Unable to stop her tears completely the child rubbed her eyes sore and trembled. Simon didn't like to see others cry.

Standing up he surveyed the area and found a toy store was nearby- a bit of luck for once. Simon ran over to it and plucked a pink bear from the top of the pile- Girls liked pink right? He ran back to her and extended his arms, offering the gift to her. At first she looked up at him, wide eyed and confused till he nudged it against her hands, clenched into her dress. The child dug her little fingers into the toy and brought it to her chest, coveting it like a treasure. When she looked up at Simon she smiled and he smiled back…smiled for the first time in months…his heart felt like it was beating again.

"Um…hey there little lady", he said gently as he knelt down to be eye level with her. "Why are you out here all alone?"

"Mommy's gone", she whimpered. "I…I don't…"

"Shhhh", he coed softly.

Simon waited till she stepped towards him to reach an arm around her. The little dear weighed next to nothing as he lifted her up. She looked at his face with those bog red eyes, finding comfort in the doll he had just given her. But she was still crying, she just couldn't stop.

"Don't cry…um…"

"Marceline", the little girl told him while rubbing her eye. "My name's Marceline"

"What a pretty name", he complimented to ease her. "Okay, Marceline", he said with a smile, "I know I'm funny look'n, but tell you what, you can come with me if you want. We can look for your mom"

"With you?"

She said, reaching up to lightly grab his nose and touch his beard. Simon looked down at her tiny little hands on his face and smiled warmly. Marceline quirked her head to the side and looked at Simon, really looked at him. It was an utter surprise to him when she suddenly threw herself forward and wrapped her little arms around his neck, dug her face into his hair and beard.

"You're not funny looking, Simon", she said tightening her hold. "I like your face"

"Oh, you do?" Simon's cheered up as she leaned back wearing a huge grin. "Why thank you, I'm sure you're the only one who does", he chuckled lightly.

"Momma says people are the way they are for a reason", she said with her new toy's ear in her mouth. "So you're fine the way you are"

Marceline broadened her smile, showing off her fanged teeth. Simon wanted to tell her that he wasn't always this way, but her attitude was contagious. He laughed and set her back on the ground instead. She began running around his ankles laughing, keeping one hand on his pant legs for support.

"What's so funny?" Simon asked her, genuinely curious.

"I'm just happy", she said, skidding to a stop in front of him. "I'm not alone anymore"

"I…" Simon paused, bit his thumb and leaned down to rest his hand on the top of her head and tussle her short ebony curls. "You know what, Marcy? I'm happy too, because I'm not alone anymore either"

((Author's Note)) Gosh, thank you everybody for your kind reviews ^_^ Sorry this chapter is more of a transitional one, so it's not as long. The next chapter is ALL about Simon and Marcy ^_^ and will be pretty long

R&R

"Momma says people are the way they are for a reason"


	5. Brave New World

Brave New World

Years went by and the pair never found what they searched for. Simon never found his princess and Marceline never found her mother. But as time passed the two grew a bond that filled those empty pieces of their hearts. The pain faded like scars, never leaving their memories but not hindering the new ones they made every day. Simon, being older was less inclined to let go of the memory of his beloved Betty and his dream of finding her. Marceline grew from a toddler to a child and replaced the dependence for support she once got from her mother, with Simon's guidance and attention.

"Simon?" Marceline asked softly as she scooted closer to the fire, hoping her fish would cook faster. "Do you think there are any people left?"

Simon adjusted his glasses, much larger than his last pair. He looked into her hopeful eyes and smiled tenderly, reaching out to back her food from the depths of the fire. The attacks had escalated a year or so back and since then even more strange happenings had occurred on a regular basis. Creatures were slinking from the goo spilt on the charred ground on what used to be humble cul-de-sacs. It was horrible, like a nightmare. The only light in their lives was the fact that they had each other; a cursed man and a half demon girl. Marceline shifted her weight and leaned on Simon's shoulder, feeling the chill of his skin through the green button up shirt he wore.

"Marceline", he lightly took the fish from her hand and inspected it, muttering "just a little longer", before he continued speaking. "Hunny, I don't want you worrying about things like that…there's got to be people out there somewhere"

"Maybe they're just traveling around…l-like us", she reasoned, snuggling into his arm even when she began to sniffle. "So we never seen them"

"Exactly dear", he cooed, pulling both fishes from the fire. "Okay, order up!"

Marceline laughed as she bit into her dinner. The two sat filling their bellies for a few minutes before Marceline made a small noise. Simon looked over at her, concern on his features. As he leaned down, thinking perhaps she was choking on a fishbone, he patted her back. He was slightly disgruntled to find the loudest, fishiest belch blow in his face. Though it was positively disgusting he could appreciate the comedic timing and plucked a scale from his beard with a mixed expression. Marceline covered her mouth, giggling and kicking her feet. She felt bad, she really did….but it was funny too.

"Oh Simon!" she laughed on her back. "I'm sooooo sorry!"

"It's okay", he assured her as he leaned back. "I'm just glad you weren't choking", Simon paused and then added with fatherly wisdom. "But you know that is considered bad manners, don't you Marcy?"

Marceline looked down at her food with a solemn expression, muttering a weak, "…yeah, I know"

Simon, who couldn't bear to see his little girl unhappy lurched his chest and let out a little burp of his own. Marceline snapped her head up to him eyes wide. Red flushed her face as she broke into a fit of laughter, calling him gross. When she settled down Marceline was lying on her back looking up at the stars. They were so beautiful. She rolled her head to the side and looked up at Simon. He looked down at her mid bite, a questioning expression on his face.

"Something on your mind?" he commented sweetly, covering his mouth as he spoke as it was full of fish. "I think I see something up there"

"Stop being silly", Marceline giggled as she covered her head. "Simon…I have a question"

"I can't guarantee that I have an answer", he told her with a weak smile. "But shoot kiddo, I'll see what I can do for you"

"What happens if me and you…are the only people left Simon?"

"If…we're…"

Simon didn't want to think about that. He turned his head so that his grayed hair covered his face. Marceline sat up, curious and anxious for an answer. Simon turned back to her expectant face with a tired smile.

"I suppose we can rule the world", he told her jokingly through a chuckle. "There's be no one to oppose us"

"Simon", she wined, covering her face with her pale little hand. "I'm being serious…"

"Too serious", Simon chuckled as he stuck his stick in the ground. "These are the times that people should welcome a bit of absurdity", he laughed as he began to tickle her.

"Ah!" Marceline laughed as he tickled her ribs till her eyes watered. "Is this revenge for burping in your face!? Ahahahahahaha!"

Simon scooped Marceline into his arms and lifted her into the air, both of them smiling from ear to ear. When he came to a stop Simon brought her down with a twirl and rested his baby girl against his hip. Marceline laughed as she pressed her body against his, her little hands tugging on his shirt to keep from falling. When she looked up at him he looked so happy and decided that for today maybe she would save her questions for another day. A chill ran over Marceline, her shoulders shaking as she let out a sharp little sneeze. Simon pulled her back, a bit of concern in his face as he put his bitter cold hand on her forehead. When he touched her Marceline shivered so Simon pulled his hand away and dismissed the sneeze. He set her down and handed her the fish she had dropped in the grass.

"Um…one minute rule?" he joked as she took it into her hands.

"I'd eat it if it were a day old!" Marceline cheered, voice muffled as she bit into it with her demon teeth. "I'm sooooo hungry"

"Me too", he said softly as he picked his fish up, picking at it with his hands as he looked over at Marceline tearing hers to shreds. "Marcy, please chew your food", he chuckled "I don't want you choking on a fish bone"

"Okay", she said through a mouthful of scales and meat. "Ah…ACHOO!"

Marceline rubbed her nose with her forearm, a strange tingling sensation making her feel like she may sneeze again. Simon looked over at his little girl, a bit concerned. As he nibbled on a piece of fish he decided that he would not let her sleep next to him till the weather got warmer. His body temperature was low and he feared that perhaps it was affecting her health. With these thoughts swimming around in his head dinner went by fast. With a full tummy Marceline was already getting that sleepy look on her face and Simon knew she'd nod off soon. As he began to set up the sleeping bag Marceline played in the grass, tearing up fistfuls and tossing them into the air. Her fun was interrupted when Simon plucked her from the ground and carried her over to the sleeping bag. When Marceline held the opening up for him to crawl in with her Simon gave her a melancholy smile and shook his head.

"Not tonight, Marcy…I have some boring old grown up things to do", he thought carefully before adding. "Besides…the fire will keep you warmer than me"

"But…" When she recognized that Simon wouldn't budge, she opted to bargain. "A story then? Tell me a story…please?"

Simon looked down at her dear little face and his heart melted, "Okay, dear", he said softly as he took a seat beside her and gently adjusted the covers. "What kind of story would you like to hear?"

"Wait", Marceline instructed as she rolled in her bed. "Hambo needs to hear it too"

"Oh", Simon exclaimed as he went to fetch the doll. "Of course, Hambo loves a good story doesn't he? Here you go, Marceline", he handed her the doll and again sat beside her, resting his hands on his knees. "Now does my girl want to hear a SCARY story?" he joked, making ghoulish noises and dancing his fingers over her head.

"NO!" Marceline laughed. "Then I'll never sleep!"

"Hahaha", Simon laughed playfully. "I suppose you're right. Then perhaps a mystery?"

"I want to hear a happy story", Marceline said with a sweet little smile. "Tell me the story about how you met your princess"

"Um…that one?" he asked hesitantly.

"Please Simon", Marceline pleaded.

Simon could never deny a polite request from his little darling and so he nodded his head and hid his reluctance as he agreed, "A long…long…long, long longlonglonglong time ago I was a young man. I had wanted to explore the world, find all kinds of treasure and maybe even uncover something mystical", he explained, recalling the old days like they had just happened. "But first you know I had to go to school. Next to my school there was another school where all the students were science nerds"

"Hey!" Marceline cheered. "You were a nerd too!"

"Yeah…but not a science nerd", he joked, sticking out his tongue. "Anyway…there was this dance that BOTH schools held every year. And you know…I was pretty hip back then, even for a nerd. I played in a band"

"You played the drums", Marceline laughed, pointing over at Simon's bag. "That's why you carry those sticks around"

"Yes", he chuckled, leaning back and getting more comfortable. "And my band played the music for the dance", his eyes clouded over slightly as he looked down and recalled the evening; young folks dancing, smiling and how of all the people there he noticed _her_. "That was the day I found my first treasure", he said with fondness "I found a real life princess"

"But, how did you meet?" she asked as if she hadn't heard the story a dozen times. "You danced with her didn't you?"

"I…I was too shy…" Simon's voice trailed off. "When we got a break I went down to the dance floor…and she was there in a red dress…" Looking down at his hands Simon remembered how he had trembled just by thinking about talking to her back then. "She saw me starring at her and uh", Simon laughed as he rubbed the back of his head. "I guess she thought I was cute or something"

"EW!" Marceline kicked her feet as she hid her face under the covers.

"Hey now, I didn't ALWAYS look like a bridge troll y'know?" Simon huffed playfully. "I was…not ugly", making a face Simon hushed Marceline's soft giggles and continued the story. "On with the story. So this princess, she ended up asking ME to dance and of course I accepted. We danced for hours…"

Marceline yawned loudly, her meek voice trailing off as she asked, "Simon…what did the princess look like?"

"Huh?" he quirked a brow, not exactly prepared for the question. "Well…the princess had…glasses…red hair…" suddenly Simon's mind drew a bit of a blank on the finer details. "She…" His worried murmur was interrupted by Marceline's light snoring.

Simon went to his back pack and looked down at the crown. As he leaned down to pick it up he looked over his shoulder to be sure Marceline was fast asleep. Slipping off into the woods Simon found a boulder to sit on just far enough away that Marceline wouldn't hear him talking to himself…to the crown. She wouldn't hear him talking to the crown.

'_Oh…do I get a bedtime story too Simon?_' it chuckled.

"I can't remember her face", Simon's hands clawed, shaking as he held them over the crown sitting in his lap. "How could you?" he spat, his tone slightly venomous. "Give her back to me"

'_I'm sure she's long gone by now dear boy_', the crown's voice wavered in his mind and then mused '_or should I say old boy_'

"Ah!" Simon huffed, tears pricking his eyes as he threw the crown down on the ground. "Why is this happening to me?"

'_Simon…_' the crown said softly, its voice a sullen lullaby '_Throwing a tantrum at your age? Now you're just being silly_'

"I'm not an old man"

He breathed as he sprung from the rock and kicked the crown across the clearing. As the crown toppled and rolled away Simon felt a harsh pain run through his body. He collapsed onto the ground, his bones trembling. Reaching out he dug his broken nails into the dirt and grit his teeth. Laughter echoed in his head, seemingly split it from the inside out. Simon whined as he grasped his skull, fingers buried in the dirty matted grey shoulder length locks. He masked his face in the grass, determined to pull himself together before Marcy noticed he was gone and came looking for him. That was the last thing he wanted, for her to see him like this again.

xxx

Both man and child wandered side by side, sad to leave the comfort of the lake but all too aware of what staying on one place for too long did. The last time they had gotten comfortable, ruffians had showed up and tried to rob them. Marceline was a confrontational girl who felt she could handle herself, but Simon was just a human and she knew that the forces at work were beyond him. If something bad happened, Simon would have to use the crown. She didn't like it when he did, because he always acted so strangely, and he didn't really treat her nicely at times when he wore it- or remember her name. And the worst part was always when he woke up because Simon never remembered anything.

Simon felt something small and warm latch onto his hand. Looking down he saw Marceline, a feint worried expression on her face as she held his cold mitt. They had just entered a town and that meant the possibility of running into someone or worse, something. Every noise was something to be concerned about when it was apparent that you were likely in the small handful of actual people walking around the planet. A tug caught Simon off guard, making him stumbled in his steps. Marceline was walking slower than usual, rubbing her eye and yawing. Usually she had so much energy.

"Marceline?" he questioned tenderly. "You…okay sweetheart?"

"Just tired", she murmured, offering him a toothy grin. "I had bad dreams"

"I'm sorry to hear that", he told her sadly, offering a smile of his own. "You want me to carry you?"

"I can walk", she told him, breaking contact with his hand to run ahead as something caught her eye. "Simon look"

Simon, who not only had the body of an older man but wore a traveling sack, ran with some difficulty to catch up to Marceline. He followed her little arm, pointing at a mini mall. Hopping up and down she bit her bottom lip shouting that good things were in there like shoes, and toys and trampolines. Simon shook his head for several reasons; malls were known to house desperate survivors and secondly, they didn't need any of those things at the moment. Marceline was disappointed but she understood. As she followed after Simon Marceline paused, her shoulders tensing and head crooking back.

"Uh Simon…uh, uh Ah-ACHOO!"

Simon paused, worriedly looked over his shoulder and muttered a quiet, worrisome "Bless you"

xxx

One the outskirts of town the pair saw yet another stretch of forest. As Marceline ventured up to the bushes she heard something stirring in the brush. Simon was quick to react, snatching Marceline off her feet and running to a run-down old car. He set her inside and focused on steadying his breathing while she stared at him with those big doe eyes of hers. When he tried to leave to confront the creature she reached out frantically and grabbed his beard. Muttering little pained noises Simon stumbled back to the window and leaned down, face to face with her. Marceline held onto the beard to assure Simon wouldn't leave her in the car.

"You're not going to put it on are you?" she asked him fearfully. "I don't want you to"

"I can control it better now", he lied and panic showed in his tone.

Marceline made a small whining noise as she clutched his beard "…you're going to act weird again"

"Marceline I have to", he began, eyes shifting over to the noise and then back to her. "to protect us", Lightly grabbing her hands he leaned forward and placed a small kiss on her forehead assuring his return with a quick "brb"

Simon approached the woods hesitantly, his trembling hand unlatching the crown from his belt. In his hands he felt it already affecting him, the temptation to wear it in order to protect Marcy a terrible tremor up his spine. The visions were everywhere and Simon looked left and right to try and figure out if any of them were real. He heard the thing in the bushes run towards him and Simon put the crown on his head. Instantly his face changed, skin grew brighter, hair extending and flapping like wings to lift him in the air. Summoning his powers Simon sent forth a powerful icy wind and from the bushes flew a small harmless deer. Simon couldn't tell the difference and clawed his hands, thrusting them forth with an ice beam that froze the poor creature where it stood.

Marceline scrambled out of the car and frantically jumped below Simon, trying to gather his attention yelling, "Simon! Please stop- it's frozen!"

"Not now Gunter", Simon grumbled, not even looking at her as he began throwing snow over her. "I'm doing big people things", he alleged, annoyed. "go play in the snow"

Marceline covered her head as the snow came down on top of her. Panicking, fearing Simon would lose himself she bend down and scooped up as big a snowball as she could throw. Half stepping back to judge the distance Marceline aimed for the crown and threw the snowball. She knocked it off his head on the first try and cut him from the crown's power. Simon toppled to the floor, hair and skin still deformed. Marceline scrambled to his side.

"You're getting worse, Simon" she told him, out of breath. "You nose…and hair got longer. And you started hovering in the air!"

"Oh?" Simon questioned, his voice a little broken. "Oh yeah? Was I pretty…_FLY_? AHAHAHAHAHAHA"

Marceline stepped back as Simon broke into a cackle that sounded inhuman. She clutched her dress and tried to stay calm, even when she noticed that his eyes were void of the man she had come to know. Voice shaken she pleaded with him.

"Simon? Stop it, you're scaring me!"

His laughter faltered and died down, leaving Simon completely out of breath. Marceline ran into his arms, latching onto him for dear life and suddenly Simon froze. He realized that he was on the floor, Marceline holding onto him for dear life. Putting an arm around Marceline he shook his head and everything in his mind for the most part went back into place. Even his skin and hair returned to its dull state. Softly pulling her back he couldn't hide his anxiety for his elapsed actions.

"Did I say something?" he asked her timidly.

"Don't use the crown again", Marceline begged. "Please, Simon. Promise me you won't use it again"

"I…" He looked down at her tiny hands and up at her pleading face, remembering that she needed him. "I promise"

Simon and Marceline, as bad as they felt for that poor deer ended up eating it for dinner. They sat together atop the remnants of a missile and chomped away on the tasty meat. Marceline had been quite sullen after the events on the edge of the city. After dinner Simon felt he owed Marceline a good time and found a gutted flat-screen TV. Hoisting it up and climbing inside he knew of a way to get his little darling to smile. Tossing a can out at her feet he instructed her to turn on the TV. Marceline smiled wistfully as she pretended to click buttons and waited patiently for Simon to begin the show. Simon started singing, keeping melody but having some trouble hitting the right keys.

"_Making your way in the world today, sure does take a lot! Taking a break from all your worries…sure would help a lot! Wouldn't it be nice to get aaaaaaaaway_"

"What is this!?" Marceline questioned loudly.

At this Simon muttered a disclaimer and sat up into frame happily greeting "Norm!" Marceline giggled as she shouted mute and laughed as Simon proceeded on with the show, albeit without uttering another word. Her laughter was like a bell, but it quickly cracked as she broke into a coughing fit. The show ended instantly as Simon crawled out of the TV. Crouching besides her he lightly touched her forehead and at once retracted his hand. She was on fire. It was hard to keep the worry off his face as he guided her over to the backpack. Simon unrolled the sleeping bag, making his best effort to keep his voice calm as Marceline watched his every move.

"Oh…nothing to worry about", he lied with a crooked smile. "You're just a little warm. Should get some rest though", Simon encouraged while setting up the bed. "Here honey lie down"

"I'm fine", Marceline sputtered through a cough.

"Marceline", his soft voice hardened slightly and she knew he wasn't playing so she climbed into the sleeping bag. "I'll get your bear. You get plenty of sleep, okay?"

"Okay Simon", she yawned as he handed her Hambo. "Are you going to sleep on the floor again?"

"Don't you worry", he instructed with a soft chuckle. "I'll be fine"

"…okay" she murmured, suddenly drifting off. "…night…"

"Night", Simon cooed as he reached down to ruffle her dark hair, pulling his hand back when he noticed her shiver at his cold touch. "Sleep tight…please be alright"

He whispered the last part as he walked back over to the TV. Leaning against it he watched her sleep, sure she was sick by how incredibly still she was. Usually Marceline rolled and squirmed at bedtime. Simon stayed up for hours thinking that perhaps this was his fault somehow. Without his permission Simon's eyes grew heavy and eventually drifted shut, leaving the fire to smolder on its own accord.

((authors note))

Seriously, Simon and Marcy couldn't have come at a better time. After the events of the episode is when things start to get really AU and I take ful creative liberties as far as storyline. Had SO much fun writing this chapter- it's always fun to write Simon and Marcy interacting. ^_^ For art based on my fic visit my tumblr, name's jenjoink


	6. Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Where everybody knows your name

A harsh rasp of coughing stirred Simon from his unruly sleep; he opened his white eyes and saw Marceline already up and about. She looked as if she'd been up for at least a little while. In her tiny hands she held a bowl filled with a combination of innards and shrubbery. She held it up to him as he strode to her side. Simon noticed her clammy complexion was beyond normal, even for the half demon girl.

"I made you breakfast," she told him sweetly, sounding out of breath, "It's uh…mostly pine needles and deer guts,"

"Oh…you're even worse…" Simon absently muttered aloud when he touched her scorching forehead, "Uh…" he stammered when she began to cough, the harsh action making Marceline drop the contents of the bowl, "No need to worry…we uh, just need to get you something,"

"Chicken soup?" she pointed out with a smile,

"Marceline…be serious," Simon sighed, rolling his eyes, "Chicken soup is good and all, but you need medicine," he paused and added frantically, "Not that this is anything serious! Medicine is option one… chicken soup, well, plan B." He scratched his beard and looked around as he thought, "That town had to have SOMETHING."

…

But for all his efforts, Simon only managed to muck things up. The two of them ended up disturbing the town's residents, which were glowing radioactive mutants. At the end of the day he had a half conscious Marcy held fast in his arms, running through bubblegum webbing for their lives. He took a wrong turn and ended up in a back alley. Holding her to his chest he pressed his back against the brick wall. In his arms Marceline weakly clutched his coat, her eyes trying to stay open.,

"Our butt are grass…aren't they…?" her voice trailed off as she fell unconscious.

"Marceline?" Simon whispered, his voice losing its power as she did not open her eyes,. "…Marcy?"

His white eyes looked up at the approaching mutants while he cradled his baby girl. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes as he realized that there was only one way. Panic-stricken, Simon placed Marceline inside a run-down car. As he set her down, her tired eyes opened and she fought to stay conscious when she noticed the pain in his eyes. That pain always showed when he was going to do something he really didn't want to. She pleaded with him not to go, but by then her hands couldn't grab him hard enough to keep him from leaving. Simon winced in pain as he whispered his apologies for breaking his promise to her so soon.

"Keep it together," he told himself woefully, "for her, Simon…for her…"

Simon hoped he could keep himself together, and opted to sing a familiar melody when he used the ice powers. Though his mind scrambled when he placed the magic crest upon his head, Simon managed to stay focused. But it wasn't himself that removed the crown. Something knocked it off his head. Simon plummeted to the ground, his body buried in the snow. He heard voices and saw shadows but who knew if they were real. Someone or something opened the car door- Marceline! Simon scrambled to his feet, haphazardly slapping around the snow covered ground for his crown should he need it.

"Get back on the ground!"

Simon froze at the harshness of the voice, following it to a broad man in a type of uniform. He saw another walk behind the stranger, his little darling dangling in his arms. Panicked, Simon dashed forward with an outstretched hand calling out her name. He heard two hard whips of air and felt something stick him in his back and shoulder. Suddenly, his legs didn't work and Simon fell to his knees. Reaching back, he plucked the object from his shoulder and held it up to his face. He realized it was a tranquilizer as he fell face first into the snow. The dart rolled out of his outstretched hand and was left behind as men dragged Simon's body away.

xxx

The mutations were happening everywhere. Try as they might, no one could figure a way to cure or stave off the process. It was assumed that everyone was infected and this made the decision to bring in some test subjects a logical one. But what the scientists didn't expect was an exaggerated story of a man and little girl who fought off zombies with magic. It was odd to them that this crown would be investigated. The artifact looked like a treasure that belonged in a museum, not a weapon.

It passed through many hands till it finally found a home in the disease lab. The higher ups hoped that there could be some answers found in its origin or materials. Nobody really knew what to make of the crown, but when it came to a specific pair of pale hands, the crown stopped circulating. This person looked upon the crest with a heavy heart. She knew this crown. After asking a few questions she discovered that it had been brought in with a pair of mutants. And after asking a few more questions, she learned that these mutants were being held in her division. She left on a coffee break, to the holding cells.

But the man wasn't there, he was in the medical ward. Betty found him secured to a hospital bed, twisting in his sleep. Picking up the clipboard at the end of the bed, Betty read his diagnosis; heavily sedated due to struggling, malnourished, delusional, and possibly bipolar. And then she got to the name…Simon Petrikov. The clipboard hit the floor. Betty covered her mouth as she looked at the man again. Was this really her Simon?

"I thought someone had stolen it… but… oh Simon…"

At the sound of her voice Simon's eyes fluttered open. Turning his head, he looked at her and as the haziness washed away they filled with familiarity and disbelief. Betty backed up with her hands clasped together and eyes darting about the room. She knew those eyes. Frozen in place, Betty watched Simon attempt to sit up. He quickly realized that he was restrained and began tugging at the bonds. Betty rushed to the side of the bed and tried to calm him down, lest the nurse come and kick her out.

"Simon…" she whispered, leaning over with a tentative hand reaching out for his face, "Shush, or they'll kick me out." At that he stopped completely, eyes looking up at her with shame and helplessness as he listened to her tender voice, "Simon… is it really you under there… what happened to you?"

"The… crown," he answered, hesitant to believe she would accept his answer, "It's cursed…" his eyes darted around as he realized it was nowhere to be seen, "My crown? Where's my crown!?"

"I have it," Betty told him as she braced herself on the side rail to the bed,

"Don't let anyone put it on," he warned, lightly shaking his head as the drugs began to steal him away from her, "It's… cursed…why, am I… so tired?"

"You're not even supposed to be awake right now," she whispered, reaching out to cup his cheek, quirking her head as he closed his eyes and leaned into her warm touch, "Oh Simon…"

"I… I missed you princess," he whispered brokenly as he began to drift off,

"I missed you too Simon," Betty responded softly,

"Betty… I have to ask," Simon managed to get out before his eyes began to drift shut, "Marceline… where is Marceline? Did they give her medicine?"

"The little girl?" Betty mused touching her finger to her chin, "She had pneumonia. They gave her a blood warmer… she's going to be fine after some proper care,"

"I did my best…"

"Don't worry… she's going to be fine,"

"Please don't leave me," he begged through his last breaths,

"When they move you… I'll find a way to talk more."

xxx

The next time Simon awoke, he was in a small room. Rolling over on the cot, which was stiff and uncomfortable, he discovered three things; he did not know where he was, he did not know where Marceline was, and he wasn't sure if he had been dreaming or meeting Betty had indeed happened. His body moved sluggishly from the drugs, but Simon willed it to stand and get to what looked like a door. For a moment he rubbed his wrists, slightly sore from his previous struggling. Although he was relieved to be unbound, Simon knew the freedom didn't come wistfully. This was not a room, but a cage. With what little energy he had Simon banged against it, his voice pleading,

"Let me out of here!" he demanded with as much force as he could muster,. "Can anybody hear me? Where is Gunt- Marceline! Where is Marceline!?"

Nobody answered. Hours passed. Eventually, he had no choice but to give up his efforts till somebody came along. Folding his jacket and setting it aside, Simon lay back on the uncomfortable cot they had provided. Putting his hands behind his head, his mind wandered back to earlier when he had spoken to Betty. He wasn't completely convinced it was her. A part of him did and a small smile formed on his chapped lips.

Simon closed his eyes and tried to sleep. A small noise stirred him and he turned onto his side to find that someone was opening his door. Fearfully, Simon jumped upright and braced himself for whatever they might want. But a dainty hand slid over the door and a familiar face greeted the lonely, worried man. Betty was careful to shut the door without making a sound, which was difficult with the pressurized seal. Simon couldn't help but stand, his entire body wanting to run to her but his mind telling him to stay away. He kept his distance, speaking with a shaken voice, everything jittery just from being in the same room as her, his princess. She was as lovely as he remembered; perhaps a bit more womanly but the sight of her nearly took his breath away.

"Betty," Simon was too panicked to whisper, "What are you doing in here? Are you supposed to be in here…? You could get in trouble!"

"Only if you keep yelling and get me caught," she whispered back harshly.

Simon slapped his hands over his mouth. He reminded her of the old days, before they had moved in together; Simon had been more of a boy than a man then. There was uncertainty in his paled eyes, which Betty longed to erase. Betty smiled as she took a step forward, her hand coming up towards his face. She paused when she felt the cold emanating off his blue flesh, and though she wasn't afraid, merely perplexed, Simon was deterred to allow the contact. When he turned away from her, she asked him not to, that she wasn't afraid of him. He had always been a kind man, why would she fear him? He'd pushed her once but she had admittedly pushed him first. He'd warned her to leave and she had prodded him. Before her he stood, eyes downcast, his sharp teeth poking the bottom of his lip. Simon's hand wrung the bottom of his shirt nervously as he longed to touch her.

"Betty…" he drew out her name, recalling all the times he'd whispered it to himself in his longing for her, "Betty, you shouldn't touch me darling. I'm cold…"

"It's okay," she told him, stepping forward, her hands lightly brushing against his sides as she wrapped her arms around his midsection- despite his silence and hesitant objection in his demeanor, "I don't mind… I… just want to…" there was a soft pause and then she blushed as she whispered, "I missed you."

He looked down into her eyes, those beautiful eyes.

"My princess," he breathed out, fingers pressing into her coat as he gave into his desire to hold her, "How _I_ missed _you_… those things I said… I-I'm…"

She put her finger to his lips and it was gentle and warm. Simon's eyes drifted shut at the contact, his mind at peace that she'd be so comfortable with him still. He knew by her touch that his temperature was a harsh contrast to hers, like he'd come in from playing in the snow. But she held it there despite this, and he savored the moment. Simon felt her moving, bump against the tip of his nose and then move some more. He cracked his eyes open and saw her leaning down. Betty tilted her head to the side, albeit in a strange fashion just so she could press her lips against his. Simon made a startled little noise as her warm lips replaced her finger to envelop his, the feeling heavenly and nearly forgotten. Running her fingers up his arms, Betty eased him closer. She broke the gentle kiss when his nose got in the way.

"Your nose," she giggled softly,

"Oh…" Simon stumbled over his words, snapping out of his trance as he tried to cover it with his hands, and not thinking, just trying to take attention away from it he blurted out, "J-Just happy to see you!"

Betty paused, quirking her grin to one side and nibbling on her lip. Simon's face broke out into a blush at the look she gave him. He panicked and tried to correct himself but it was too late. Betty lightly hooked her finger in his collar and eased him closer. It was cute, the panic in those big white eyes of his. He was still Simon on the inside and that sent a shiver up her spine.

"Why Simon," Betty scoffed, playfully surprised as she reached up and gently peeled his hands from his new face, "Have you grown into a dirty old man?"

"What… n-no… I just… the nose is ridiculous,"

"I'm just joking," Betty giggled softly, "You know I don't really care what you look like,"

"You're just saying that," Simon sighed, "Betty…look at this face…" he pointed mostly at the ridiculous appendage, "This… ugh… _face,_"

"Well…" she said coyly, eyes drifting downward, "Everything _else_ seems to be the same for the most part, aside from being blue."

She pressed her body against his, arms interlocking over his shoulders. He was struck by her beauty, by the sweet and clean scent of her hair. It was everything he wanted just to be there with her. But things weren't that simple, and Simon inwardly slapped himself when he saw that all too familiar mischief in her eyes and kept talking. A part of him wanted her to realize he was no good for her and the other part…well he tried to keep enough distance between them so that she wouldn't catch on. Of course she already knew, but kept it sealed behind her rosy lips.

"Betty…" he grumbled as she leaned forward and gave his nose a soft kiss, became short of breath when she kissed the side of it while looking into his eyes and struggled to remember how to talk when she gave him little Eskimo kisses. "Wait…Betty…ah!"

He squeaked when she embraced him like she had all those years ago, the only difference being her nuzzling her face into the tendrils of his beard. Simon bit his lip as he felt the contrast of her warm breath on his chilled neck. His fingers lightly pressed against her shoulders when she gave him a light kiss beneath his chin, feeling the speed of his pulse quicken as she did so. It was adorable how timid he was, even after all these years apart. The man had always had the will of a saint. It was admirable and admittedly fun to put on trial.

"I don't have a lot of time," she told him gently, keeping her face buried in his shoulder, "I just wanted…to see you…"

"Princess," he breathed into her hair and the coolness of his voice made her shiver, "I missed you so much, I'm sorry… I'm so sorry," he whispered, "for what I said that scared you. I never want to hurt you. I love you so very much darling."

Betty shut her eyes at the tenderness of his voice. He had always had the softest tone to it when he spoke. Her blood raced, cheeks flushed as she savored the sound of those sweet words. Pulling him gently forward, Betty pressed her lips to his, her hands gripping the fabric of his old shirt. Even though his lips were cold, they still felt and tasted like his, and she did not want to part with them. Leaving him was the last thing she wanted to do, especially when he was being so darn… adorable and romantic.

"It's in the past," she breathed out as she broke the kiss, "We're here now. We'll make the best of it," she kissed him again and whispered, "I still love you."

Her slender hands rested on his chest and felt the pace of his heart. She looked at him with half lidded eyes as she fumbled with the first button. When Simon reached up to grab her hand she chuckled and pulled away. He checked her face for any sort of negative effect, but Betty was smiling. She stepped back and allowed him the space he needed to collect himself, watching with slightly puckered lips as he refastened the button on his shirt. He held it closed afterward, his obsession with the distaste he had for his body was mostly subconscious. Betty was sure that in the future she'd get him out of these kinds of habits.

"Are you scarred I'm going to laugh at you?" she jested with a smile, "That face doesn't matter… _you_ matter,"

"It's not just that," Simon admitted bashfully as he hid his face beneath his hair, "… Marceline,"

"The little girl?" Betty quirked her head, "I told you, Simon, she's stable now and recovering quickly,"

"I know it was my fault," he shuddered, dropping onto the rickety cot they'd given him for a bed, "This body… it isn't meant to be around people… Betty, what if you get sick like Marceline?"

Betty leaned over him, her hand going over his frosty shoulder, "Since when did you become such a worrier, Simon?" she joked softly, kissing the top of his head, "Chill out."

He looked up at her. Betty cracked a smile and flicked the end of his nose. Simon covered it with his hands and pouted. The two of them slowly developed an understanding and began to chuckle. Betty covered their mouths so no one would hear them. When she pulled it away Simon caught it, he held it like a gentleman and kissed the back softly. Betty blushed, turning away as her face ignited. Eyes closed, she felt him lean closer and his voice, as gentle and brisk as freshly fallen snow, whispered with the sweetness of honey,

"Princess… my sweet darling, my love extends beyond any man's reach. If you would want for a star, I could easily pluck one from the heavens… my only sorrow is that my body does not reflect the warmth in my heart."

Betty felt her heart might burst from her chest the way he carried on.

((Authors notes))

Sorry this chapter was so short...the next one will be longer. Wonderfully edited by my new beta Scuro-Valzer from Tumblr ^_^


	7. Another Day in the Life of Simon

Another Day in the Life of Simon Petrikov

Simon heard them muttering over the noise of the treadmill. He'd been walking for what felt like hours now, sweating and dying of thirst. His beard and hair clung to his face and bare upper body. Where their weird little sensors had been glued to his flesh, a dull itch plagued him, but he was scolded whenever he reached to scratch. It wouldn't be long till he passed out anyway. And that's what troubled Simon, was the thought that they were waiting to see where his breaking point was, how much his body could take before it simply shut down. He smacked his chapped lips as he thought of water. A misstep and one of his knees buckled slightly, nearly causing him to trip. One of the observers behind the glass hit the intercom and told him to keep walking… As if he could stop with his hands cuffed to the front of it. His choices were pretty simple; either he kept walking or he fell and hung from the darn thing till somebody came in to pull him off.

Eventually that's exactly what happened.

When people touched him, it was with thick, strange looking gloves. Probably because he was cold and blue and they thought perhaps he would give them some sort of disease, even though the DNA tests proved otherwise. Simon's head rolled to one side as two guards' drug him aside and put him on a stretcher. After fastening him down, rather tightly, they lifted Simon and carried him out of the room. Scientists trailed after his nearly unconscious body, scribbling notes on clipboards. In another room they hooked the stretcher into a machine. Simon's breath was raspy as they hit the button to move him inside the large, full body scanner. It wasn't the mechanical sound of the device that awoke Simon from his twilight moment, but the intense brightness of the lights and the heat that emanated from them. Gritting his teeth he groaned and struggled as his body rejected the temperature change. The light travelled up and down him, a searing irritation burning where it crossed over.

"Ah!" he hissed as he banged his head back against the stretcher. "Get me out of this thing! It's too hot! Too hot!"

The scientists finished their scan before they removed Simon from the machine. His readings were remarkable. They did notice, however, that their experiments had left him rather dehydrated- his body had developed for cold weather after all. Simon turned his head to the blurred figures coming to his side as they reached out for him. A small squeak left his lips as they poked his arm with something- a needle probably. He noted, because it was hard not to, that they jabbed him considerably hard and wondered if it was carelessness or necessity. Looking up, he watched the ceiling change and from the corner of his eyes he saw that now, beside his stretcher, a nurse guided a bag of fluids. Even if it was a small amount, the water entering his system helped Simon to relax. Exhausted, Simon turned his head to the doctor he knew to be in charge of overseeing and recording the tests, his voice hardly above a whisper, but loud enough to gather the man's attention,

"P-Pardon…" Simon exhaled out "Doctor… Doctor… I-" Simon chuckled tiredly as he realized he couldn't read the man's nametag without his glasses "I ap… apologize sir, I don't recall your name, but I was wondering…"

"You should be conserving your energy," the man told him distantly as he scribbled on his paper, "just try to relax Mr. Petrikov."

Simon heard one of the guards mutter something amongst a chuckle but couldn't quite make it out. It was a name of some sort, directed at him- a nickname probably, something to further separate him from everyone else. Rolling his head back, Simon closed his eyes and let his mind wander to something pleasant. What came at his beckoning was his princess's face, smiling warmly in his direction. Betty hadn't been back since that night she had snuck into his room. His heart ached to see her again. Simon understood what she risked just to see him though, and he didn't want her to get into trouble. Besides… perhaps Betty was attending to Marceline and that was why she hadn't come back. Or it was all a dream.

Simon shook his head, knocked the thought away. She had been there, his princess was real and alive and she… he remembered her willingness to touch his face and kiss his lips. This above everything else swelled Simon's heart with joy. As he came to an abrupt halt, Simon's sweet dreams were interrupted, replaced by the harshness of reality. The stretcher was lifted and placed on a table. Everyone left the room but the leading observer and a guard. After finishing his notes the tall, thin man adjusted his goggles and addressed Simon directly,

"The doctor should be in here soon," he looked over his notes and then added, "are you allergic to anything?"

"…Why?" Simon responded with hesitance, not entirely sure he wanted to know why he was being asked health related questions,

"Well you see…" the man began after clearing his throat, "the body scan results show some differences between your DNA… and human DNA," it was all very basic the way he explained it, but the implication behind his words worried Simon greatly, especially when he added, "we'd like to know how your body has adapted so well to these drastic changes, which requires more data…"

"Data?" Simon questioned feebly as a woman came into the room wearing a white coat, her hair tied up in a bun.

"Doctor Foster," the observer greeted in a tone more filled with life, "Come on in, don't look so jittery the subject is actually quite tame."

"I'm not a dog," Simon muttered as he tried to sit up; when the woman worriedly stepped beside the guard he felt bad for startling her, but also a little disheartened that someone would fear him so easily,

"O-Of course not…" the woman stuttered slightly as she gathered herself and walked up to him. Simon knew by the widening of her brown eyes that she was taking it all in; the face, the nose, beard, teeth, claws, skin… _everything,_ "Is this a radiation based mutation?" she questioned, backing away half a step,

"Doesn't seem that way." the observer commented as he flipped through his notes again, "He does not show any traces of radiation. All we can assume is that something else caused this to happen… perhaps a rare condition or something yet to be discovered?" he offered,

"Nothing could turn a person into this, doctor… His symptoms and the alterations to his DNA are not natural… it's a mutation of some kind," she explained as she reached for something out of Simon's line of sight, "and I… heard about his body temperature… it's impossible…"

"Miss?" the gentleness in Simon's voice caught Dr. Foster off guard. She turned with a needle in her hand, looking to him with confusion as she responded with a quiet, "Y-Yes?"

"A mutation would imply that my transformation is… what I mean to say is…" Simon turned his head to her like an injured dog hoping for a kind word, "Can you… do you think if you figure out why, o-or how this has happened," he swallowed dryly and then asked with hope filling his white eyes, "then… you can… fix me?"

"I…" she pinched her brows as she examined his face and saw the broken man behind his eyes, "I cannot say…"

"What is that for?" he asked gently as she walked up beside the stretcher,

"This," she gestured to the needle, then fiddled with it in her hands a bit, focused on it before she looked back down at Simon, "it's a muscle relaxer… they want to move you back to the medical ward for observation,"

"Observation," Simon tested the word and chuckled nervously as he added, "I feel like I should be worried…"

"I don't think it will cause you much discomfort," Doctor Foster admitted as she hesitated to administer the shot, "they just want to see if they can get your body temperature back up…"

"That's not good," Simon told her as he felt the effects of the drug almost instantly, "I'm always cold… the heat negates my magic…"

"Magic?" she questioned, "Did you say _magic_?"

"I can see them…" Simon's voice trailed off as he saw a multicolored creature wrap around the doctor's neck like a scarf "the creatures…they're frightening…"

"Pardon?" she questioned as she backed away

"Mr. Petrikov was diagnosed as bipolar, depressed and possibly schizophrenic," the observer commented while jotting down more notes in his binder of data, "he sees things regularly, in the past few days those _creatures_, he talks about have been mentioned more frequently."

"I… see."

Simon felt his entire body go numb. It was different from the cold. It was actually kind of nice. He watched some guards enter the room and saw everything move as they lifted him up. In little time at all, he found himself back in a somewhat familiar setting. There were rows of hospital beds, and he familiarized this place with his reunion with Betty. However, as they unbuckled him from the stretcher and lifted his noodle body over to the bed, Simon saw that this place was filled with the transparent creatures. Some of them even resembled people. He struggled, albeit weakly against the men holding him and pleaded for release when they again cuffed him to the bedrails. Those things were all over him now, crawling on him- on his FACE. EVERYWHERE.

"Get them off me!" he pleaded, wiggling around, "Untie me… these things are everywhere!"

'_Simon_'

"Huh?" Simon paused and looked up at the man observing him with darkened circles under his eyes "Did… you say something?"

"I did not," the man responded as he transferred some notes from his clipboard to the medical chart, "Are you… hearing voices?" he asked it with indifference, which angered Simon more than it should have,

"I don't hear voices," he lied with narrowed eyes,

"And you don't see invisible creatures crawling all over everything either?"

"Oh… someone decided to put on their sass hat," Simon grumbled as he sunk his head back into the pillow, "and people say I'm the bearer of bad jokes…"

xxx

The blood warmer was uncomfortable as it forced Simon's body temperature to rise. He didn't like the feeling as his body stung with a sensation similar to an appendage waking up from sleep. That strange sting of being able to feel again was unbearable. Simon was quite irritable by the time he went through the bag, even more so when the nurses propped his bed up so he was forced to sit. A few government types were there, hardened eyes looking at him, judging him. Simon yanked on his still manacled wrists, annoyed that he was being treated like some kind of animal. But these people didn't know what to expect when it came to him, all they knew was what their tests had concluded and a half dozen fairytales about him being able to fly and shoot ice from his fingers.

"So… you're Mr. Petrikov," the man in the middle spoke with authority, giving Simon the impression that he should watch what he said, however nerves did weird things to Simon… like make him say stupid things,

"How nice that someone knows my name," he commented coolly, "I was beginning to think everyone here thought my name was 'Subject'."

"Let's not get off topic,"

"You came to talk to me for something specific, eh?" Simon nervously chortled, "I'm no mind reader, but lemme guess… it's about the crown, isn't it?"

"Are you some sort of biological terrorist, Mr. Petrikov?"

"Are you serious?" Simon laughed "_That's_ what you came to talk to me about? Though the real question is why… my name or my looks? Either way it's profiling so no one will blame you, just me. I'm the black sheep."

"Some of my finest men have tried to do what others claim you did with that crown," the general commented factually, but with a bitter undertone at Simon's behavior, "they are no longer fit for service."

Simon's face fell.

"The crown is not to be messed with," he warned flatly, "it is as cruel as it is powerful… and you cannot simply replace the host,"

"_You_ are the host," he nodded and rubbed his layered chin, "very well, boy. We will have to see how this works then."

"I'm not putting it on," Simon chuckled, "you don't understand… you don't know what it's like, what that thing has done to me in the name of power," Simon hissed as he shifted moods unexpectedly, "I didn't always look like this…"

"We aren't interested in the past," the man commented as he rose from his chair, his presence dominanting as he stood over Simon, "only the future."

xxx

Betty examined the crown for what felt like the hundredth time. Other people had warned her not to touch it, that it caused visions and bad things to happen. But as of yet, nothing like that had happened to her. Secretly she wondered if the crest was alive and that perhaps it remembered her from all those years ago. Maybe it knew that she was its only true way back to Simon. Betty set is aside, determined to focus on something else for a little while. She hadn't been able to visit Simon in days and the thought of him all alone in that room waiting up for her at night. It broke her heart. He was a loyal man, almost like a puppy at times. It made Betty smile.

GLOOP!

Betty turned her head to an open glass container. Inside was something collected from the same area as Simon, some weird mutated gum creature. Seeming harmless enough, Betty had removed the lid and found that the gum wasn't hostile in the slightest. Now she wasn't going to try and pet it or anything, though it seemed unable to move very well so keeping the lid off wasn't exactly dangerous. Peering over it, Betty tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled down at the brightly colored goop. When it smiled back she wasn't that surprised.

"Watchoo doin!?"

"AH!" Betty squeaked, flailing around at her station, only to find a rambunctious nurse so out of place in the lab with his scrubs on, a stupid grin plastered all over his face hovering over her shoulder "Mertins… not funny. I already told you to stop doing that"

"Noted… Betty, uh…" the man pointed to Betty's hand, which had gotten cut, "Aw, man I'm sorry,"

"You better be sorry," Betty grumbled as she scrambled for a tissue, a small red bead falling as she reached over the glass container to grab some paper towels "I cut it on the crown when I freaked out… what are you doing in here anyway?"

"Well you said to keep an eye on the little girl they brought in awhile ago?"

"The little girl?" Betty forgot about her cut and focused on her friend's face, "What about her, is it good?"

"She's waking up… but Betty… I was curious…" he was cut off by Betty stepping in to offer a friendly hug, a light blush dusting his cheeks, "You're welcome"

"Thanks, M," she said with a smile, eyes darting down and then up,

"What?" he commented, rolling his eyes, "I already know that look… what is it, spit it out!"

"Could… could I borrow your card again?" Betty asked sheepishly, twisting her foot against the tile floor, "It's… important."

"I… man, I could get…" it took one look at the hope in her eyes for him to buckle, "if a friend is in need… who am I to say no if I'm perfectly able to help? Sure, pick it up later,"

"Oh, thank you!" she jumped once and skipped off "You're the best!"

Mertins looked from Betty's frolicking leave to the contents of the table; a few specially marked beakers, a crown now tainted with some blood and a container filled with… gum? He leaned over the case and watched it move in amazement. A smiling face formed in the center, mimicking his facade and then shifting to resemble Betty. Marking it off as some weird experiment, Mertins left the lab without so much as a word about it.

Betty in the meanwhile…

She entered the quarantine zone of the sick bay and promptly walked past the containment chambers in search of the right one, tip toeing as to not be noticed by any of the orderlies. After a few mistaken identities, she found the one with the proper little girl in it. Marceline had been malnourished despite Simon's efforts to care for her. She was small for her age, but by Simon's recollection was very bright. Betty saw her breath fogging the glass as the eyelashes of her love's surrogate child fluttered, fighting to open. The disease she had acquired was shutting down her body, but according to her chart she suffered no brain damage or anything negative of the sort. Her recollection of the day's events would likely be skewed as she had been delirious with fever,

"Hello Marceline," Betty softly commented as the girl's eyes opened.

Marceline looked up at Betty and recognized the kind smile, but she didn't like the chamber and quickly began to panic. Her tiny but apparently strong hands swung, banging against the thick glass of the unit. It didn't break but a crack formed like lightning along the top. And though the encasement was mostly soundproof Betty could make out the word Marceline frantically called out,

"Simon!" she screamed with tears pricking her eyes, "SIMON!"

The failsafe kicked in and gas filled the chamber. Marceline fought the urge to sleep but was quickly knocked unconscious. Betty put her hand on the glass and Marceline looked at her through cracked eyes. Marceline slowly lifted her arm and placed her tiny hand on the opposite end of the glass before she blacked out. Betty knew this little girl wasn't normal, she was different… strong, resilient. Her people needed people like her. This was troubling, but also somewhat of a relief. If they had use for her, then Betty had some leverage. She'd request to run some tests on her tomorrow and meet the little girl who kept her Simon together all those years. Betty was certain she must be quite special to be so very brave to face what had become of the world.

xxx

Betty went to Simon that night to share the good news. Simon was exhausted, dressed in a white button up shirt they had provided along with gray slacks. He didn't care for the clothes, feeling they covered his body more.

"She's… quite strong," Betty commented as she paced by the door of Simon's holding chamber,

"Marceline is a very special girl…" Simon said with a smile, "Betty… can you make sure that they won't hurt her? Like me she's not quite human…"

"I'll do what I can," Betty offered a wink as she commented, "I have an eye in the medical ward so… maybe I can work something out,"

"I worry… all these years I protected her and…" he lowered his head into his hands, bringing them back to remove the bangs from his face, "and now I can't protect her. I failed her,"

"Nonsense," Betty cooed as she walked up to him, "don't say that…" she paused as she noticed how incredibly tired his eyes were, "You had a rough day, huh?"

"Unbelievably so," Simon groaned, "so many damn tests… I can't take it anymore…"

Stepping up to the edge of the bed Betty set her hand on the top of his bowed head. As Simon lifted his head up, her hand slid down to cup his cheek. She crawled up into his lap and put her arms around his shoulders. The embrace was warm and comforting. Simon closed his eyes and smelt her sweet hair as he hesitantly brought his hands up to her shoulders. He pulled her back and looked into her eyes. Simon wanted more than anything to let his inhibitions to the wind, but he knew he was getting weaker by the day. As it grew lonely, the crown became a harsh mistress and the bond between them was thick. It could reach him no matter where he found himself. Simon attempted to cup her flushed cheek, but the moment his frigid hands touched her, Betty jumped a little despite herself. She was so beautiful, so delicate… like a real princess. And all Simon wanted was to be with her.

"Betty… I can hear it talking to me," he confessed, "It wants me… b-but I can't take it anymore… I just want to go back to when we were together and happy and you made me hot chocolate…"

"You don't need to worry," Betty whispered against his forehead, "someday soon we'll be together like that again, Simon. For now… I'm here and pretty soon you'll see your baby girl again,"

"One big happy family," he chuckled tiredly.

Betty gently cupped his cheek, mirroring his own motions as she leaned forward. She closed her eyes as she pressed her lips to his, tensed when he wrapped his arms around her possessively. Nestled in his lap she began unbuttoning his shirt, and this time he let her. He knew he shouldn't, he was dangerous- he was cold and deformed and no longer human. But she wanted him still, and for all the reasons to stop, Simon couldn't argue with the one reason for him to keep going. In that moment, when her lips were pressed against his, her hands hastily pulling his button up shirt down over his shoulders, he closed his eyes and felt like his old self. Simon could imagine the two of them on the aged couch in their living room when he fell back and she was on top of him. And with that image in his mind he lost himself, pulled her body against his and kissed her in desperation to feel more. Betty breathed elated words into his mouth and he kept pulling her tighter against him. However, it was amongst his feverish kisses that Simon noticed a strange taste seep into his mouth. Betty squeaked and pulled away, her dainty hand covering her face. Simon watched with wide eyes as she lowered it, her fingers ghosting off her chin like a curtain revealing a terrible secret in a play. The cut on her lip made Simon gasp, his eyes widen with fear as he realized that he had hurt her.

"I-It's okay," she stammered when she noticed the pain in his eyes, and tried to hide the shock in her own when she saw the pink staining his teeth, "Simon, it doesn't hurt much."

Simon grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her off of him. But to his dismay, this action left red scratch marks on her pale arms. Sporadic breaths left his chest rising and falling in a panic as he wildly combed his hands through his hair. He sat up and bent in half. Disgusted with his body Simon brought his hand up and tightly pressed it over his mouth. How could he… not Betty… not his princess. The one thing Simon wanted more than anything, and he had hurt her. It wasn't intentional, but Simon felt horrible, he felt like he couldn't forgive himself. And maybe that was his depression talking but that was how he felt. He shook as he tried to keep himself together, but all that kept looping in his mind was… _why?_

Beside him Betty had collected herself on the small bed, propped herself up, discretely running her fingertips over the red marks on her arms. She surveyed Simon and the worry written all over him, with her own sorrow in her heart. Betty whispered his name as she reached out for his shoulder. Simon shook his head and woefully bellowed,

"Betty just stay away from me!" as he dug his fingers into his hair and struggled to hold back the tears, "I'm cursed… in more ways than one…" he whispered the last part, his voice heavy with sorrow, "Before all this… I used t-to think I was a good man. But I must have done something…"

"You are," she argued defiantly, "Simon, stop talking like this,"

"I'm a monster," he sobbed, "just look at what I've done to you!"

"It's not that big of a deal, you just have to be more careful," her voice was tender,

"No… I'm- you should go Betty," Simon whimpered, "I'm… not… I-I…"

"Is this because of the tests?" Betty questioned tenderly as she took a seat at the edge of the bed, "Simon they don't mean anything,"

"They mean everything," Simon told her as he peeked through his bangs, "today I found out that I'm not even human anymore. They don't know what I am, Betty, BUT I'M NOT HUMAN… it took everything from me. And now, this _body_," he hissed in disgust as he brought his frostbitten, talon hands out in front of his monstrous face, "I… I can't even hold you or kiss you, princess… without hurting you…"

Simon heard nothing but silence for what seemed like forever. But then the bed creaked. He felt a warm hand on his shoulder, it wrapped around and squeezed gently, guiding Simon's dead-pan stare to find her kind face. Without saying a word, she told him so much. It was her eyes, so forgiving and loving and beautiful. Betty opened her arms and he scooted into her like an injured animal, leaned his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes. She kissed his temple and cradled him despite how cold he was. Into his hair she whispered her thoughts on the matter and between every point, reminded him that she would love him no matter what anybody said. He was still a man and a good one… he had always been a good man…

"Stop worrying about what those people say Simon," she told him while petting his hair, "It doesn't matter."

"I just…" Simon's voice cracked and Betty knew he was crying in her arms, but let him continue without a word, "I didn't think… Betty it chased you away, it took my body… I'm afraid it's also taking my mind…" he sounded like he was finalizing his own death the way he carried on through his trembling sobs, "And Marceline… princess, she's depending on me to make everything better and you, you're here beside me, but I can't help but feel that somehow I'm already so lost…"

"Shhhh," she cooed gently as she rested her chin on the top of his head, "Relax… you had a rough day, but everything's going to be okay. All these thoughts… they're just… thoughts. Tomorrow will be a better day,"

"No," Simon's voice was absolute, "They want me to tell them how to use the crown. I-I already told them no, that its dangerous but they won't listen… They want me to put it on and sh-show…"

"Simon," Betty tried to hold him still as his hunched shoulders shook, "Calm down, please…you're worrying me,"

"You don't understand!" Simon sat up and his hallowed eyes looked into hers with desperation and fear, "When I wear the crown, it's not me… it's something else a-and I can't control it…"

"Hush now," Betty reached and gently rubbed his back till he stopped trembling, "fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice… shame on me," she smiled into his hair and added fondly, "You can't chase me away twice, Mr. Petrikov… I'm here to stay this time."

"I love you princess," Simon spoke these words with definition Betty admired, "if he- _it_ ever did anything to hurt you… I would never forgive myself." Simon paused and looked up at her with tear streaked eyes, "Don't come near me when I wear it, Betty. Promise me… the man I become is…" Simon paused, shaking his head in desperation to get his point across, "I don't want him near you,"

"…I promise."

Simon dug his face into Betty's shoulder, nuzzling it as if all his answers were buried in her skin. And he felt the goose bumps and knew she was getting cold but he needed to feel her warmth.

"I'll talk to them," she assured him, "I'll tell them it's a bad idea and if we're lucky, they'll listen."

Simon nodded his head and agreed because what else could he do?

"I love you, princess,"

"I know, Simon," she whispered, "I love you too."

((Author's Notes))

Simon just can't catch a break, can he? Poor guy always seems to get the short end of the stick... I hope you enjoyed the angsty goodness and remember to R&R

Shout out to my awesome editor Scuro-Valzer! ^_^


	8. Hide and Seek

Hide and Seek

Simon had fallen asleep with his face buried in Betty's shoulder. The familiarity of her scent had made it so easy to drift off, especially after getting himself worked up the way he had, ranting and crying. She had eased them back onto the bed to be more comfortable, cradling his upper body lovingly, tenderly running her fingers up and down his back as he slept. For all that changed physically on Simon's part, it wasn't that hard to love him still when he was every bit the man she remembered. And she didn't want to leave him alone in this place, thinking he was some monster in a cage, just waiting till another coat came to poke and prod at him but soon she would have to go. Thinking about leaving him left a dull pain in her heart.

Giving his body a light, warm squeeze she closed her eyes and focused on what the next phase of her plan was. Reuniting him and Marceline was top priority, Betty understood that he blamed himself for her illness so seeing her healthy and happy would lift his spirits indefinitely. But how was she going to… It was difficult to concentrate when she felt like she was cuddling with a popsicle, but Betty managed to put together a rough plan. Suddenly Simon stirred in his sleep breathing little puffs of cold breath as he began muttering. The words were unintelligible, but she did make out the unmistakable, small whimper of pain that he made before he began to wake up

"Simon?" she whispered as she ran her fingers through his hair, "Are you awake?"

"… Betty?" he whispered, wrapping his arms around her for fear she would disappear, "Oh princess… I thought you had left."

"I have to leave very soon," she apologized softly as she gently massaged his scalp, smiling when he turned his head to make it easier for her to do so, "I wanted to say goodbye."

Simon leaned into her gentle hand, his brow furrowing together. In the back of his mind he was troubled about earlier and as his cheek brushed against hers and he felt her hold the urge to shiver he found himself remorseful for falling asleep. He lifted himself off of her, quietly apologizing,

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry about-"

"Shush," she snapped as she pulled him back into her arms, "Stop apologizing."

"… Sorry" he murmured under his breath as he began to doze off.

Betty felt Simon's weight intensify and shook him lightly as a deterrent. If he fell asleep now, she would never leave. Simon opened his eyes and turned his head so that when he spoke, his breath was frost on her warm cheek,

"You have to go?" he asked her tenderly, like an injured bird, "It's so pleasant having you here with me,"

"I'm sorry darling," she cooed, kissing his forehead, "I have to go… I left my station for lunch hours ago,"

"Okay princess," he agreed sweetly, but gave her one last longing embrace, "I love you dearly."

"I'll be back," she whispered into his beard as she kissed his cheek, "Hopefully they don't run anymore tests today,"

"You're telling me," he lightly reached out and grabbed Betty's wrist as she stood to leave, "Sweetheart, wait… if Marceline doesn't talk to you… you need to know something…"

"Yes?" Betty inquired, "What is it?"

xxx

Betty snuck back into the lab. Luckily no one had seemed to notice her extremely long lunch break so she made a bee line for her station, slapped some goggles on her face, threw on some gloves and looked down at her specimen… only…

The container… was empty!

"Oh no…the creature…" Betty gasped as she began searching her station for clues, finding only a few candy bar wrappers scattered about the counter, "Also…my candy stash has been raided. Freaking Jessica," she grumbled, putting her fist on the table top in a quick heavy slam.

As panic seeped into every fiber of her being Betty, noticed Mertins dashing towards her. She could tell he was slightly irritated and Betty didn't blame him. She had told him she would be back hours ago. As he got closer Betty held out his card and offered him her sweetest, apologetic smile. He noticed the strain in her face and quirked his head,

"You're freaking out," he said plainly, "Why are you freaking out?"

Betty pointed to the table and he followed her gaze to the empty container. His blue eyes widened as they snapped back up to her. She looked like she was going to cry and suddenly he wasn't so upset, overwhelmed by the obligation to comfort her.

"Mertins, you have to help me find it, please?"

"Okay," he agreed with a comforting softness to his voice, "Calm down… calm down… we'll find it okay?" he motioned to put his arm around her shoulders, but she blindly missed the gesture and scampered off, "Relax," he chuckled with a sigh, "… How far could it have gotten… it's just a lump of gum."

"Let's start over here," Betty ran around the lab but the creature was nowhere in sight. "Oh… oh no… my supervisor is going to blow up," she rambled as she stuffed her fingers in her mouth and lightly, nervously gnawed.

"Betty calm down," Mertins soothed as he came up behind her, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, "We'll find it, okay?"

"Okay," she mimicked, looking over at the empty container once more, "You have to go back to work though… the little girl, you're examining her right?" she added sounding out of breath,

"…Yes, but," Mertins looked away and then back, "Is there…" a question died on his lips as he realized the last thing she needed was for him to prod into her personal affairs, "Tell you what, B," he said with a sweet smile, resting his hands on her shoulders, "I'll go and check on the girl, make sure no one tries to cut her open or anything and you keep looking for your missing gum," he joked halfheartedly, "M'kay? I'll be back before you know it!"

"…Okay," Betty sighed, "Okay."

xxx

Marceline awoke to a white ceiling, which she didn't like, but it was an improvement from the chamber she'd awoken to earlier. An IV was stuck in her arm, which she stared at with fearful eyes at first. After a moment, her eyes sharpened in anger and she growled. Reaching to remove the needle, she was exceptionally upset to discover that her wrists were bound to the bars on the side of the bed. Now normally, Marceline would be able to rip these off, but as she yanked her wrists she found that her body was uncharacteristically sluggish. Wiggling and kicking her feet turned to violent desperate thrashing as tears filled her eyes and she cried out,

"Simon! Simon!" she sobbed as her head flung back and forth, her ebony hair becoming wildly tangled as she did so, "SIMON!"

"Stop that," Marceline heard an empathetic voice hush and she stilled, "You're going to alert the guards."

Marceline looked up at the young man with the blond hair and blue eyes with confusion. He sounded concerned for her, but why would that be? She flailed as he leaned over her bed to adjust her IV, growling and snapping her teeth at him. Mertins jumped back, holding his hands at his chest, subconsciously rolling his fingers to account for them. Inching back to the bed he slowly reached for the needle and adjusted it quickly,

"Please sit still," he asked patiently, "You're still recovering… you need the extra fluids in your system."

"Where is Simon?" she demanded through a hearty, hard pout,

"Simon," Mertins tried to give her his sweetest smile, "Simon is fine… You still need your rest. When your vitals go up they want to ask you some questions,"

"I'm not talking to anyone," Marceline snapped as she dug her head back into the pillow, "I only want to talk to Simon."

And Marceline was true to her word. Everyone tried talking to her, some tried bribing her but she just shook her head and pouted. Sometimes she stuck her tongue out and spit at them. It quickly grew tiresome for the higher ups who demanded answers. But her nurse, a veteran with the company, implored them to be patient, constantly reminding them that she was a child. He offered them a last resort solution, explaining that children are more open around people who can at least pretend to be kind to them. Betty was allowed to go in and talk to her upon recommendation that it was worth a shot.

Betty walked into the medical wing of the facility with permission for the first time in the past couple days. A guard led her to Marcy's sectioned off room, and pulled the curtain back for her to enter. They would be allowed some privacy, as the staff was more concerned with getting Marcy talking than anything else. An old general was more interested in her spilling everything she knew about a particular, cursed artifact.

"Hello Marceline," Betty spoke softly so as to not startle her, but quickly discovered that the girl was as spunky as Simon described her to be when she stuck her tongue out, "Now, now… no need to be rude."

"Betty…" Mertins questioned as he put his hand on her shoulder, "I don't think she's going to talk to you… everyone has tried and all she does is… that…"

"She will talk to me," Betty assured him with a smile, "But you have to promise that you can keep a secret…"

The blond haired man looked down at Betty quizzically, scratched his head and nodded. Betty held her hand up and offered him her pinky, which he accepted by looping his own around hers. These days, there were few people left and they both knew that true friendships would only become harder to come by. Smiling boyishly, the man looked from Betty to the dark haired little girl spitting raspberries their way,

"Now… how are you going to get her to talk?"

"Marceline," Betty addressed the little girl sweetly, holding her hand to quiet any further questions her friend might have, "I understand that you want to talk to Simon,"

At this Marceline perked up.

"Simon wants to talk to you to," Betty locked eyes with Marceline, a smile spreading from ear to ear as the little girl seemed to be piecing things together in her head, "He is worried about you, sweetheart… and very sorry that he can't be here right now,"

"You're lying," Marceline grumbled, tears pricking her eyes, "You're trying to trick me!"

"He's fine sweetheart, we've been talking," Betty assured her, "He told me to tell you that he loves you and if you get scared, just hug Hambo extra tight."

"Hold on…" Mertins leaned over and whispered loudly, "Wait," shaking his head and pinching his brow he sighed, "You've been using my key card to visit the _Ice Man_?"

"Don't call him that," Betty scolded, "His name is Simon."

"You and Simon… know each other?" he questioned hesitantly, disappointment seeping heavily into his tone though Betty missed it, "That's… pretty romantic and junk," he looked away for a moment and collected himself before he offered the ladies a forced smile, "Well you win some and you lose some I guess…"

"You have red hair and glasses…" Marceline interrupted inquisitively, her words a welcomed distraction from the awkwardness between Betty and the head nurse, "…and you talked to Simon… are you… you must be… his _princess!_"

"I am," Betty answered, unable to hide the blush that dusted her fair cheeks.

Marceline sighed in disbelief, hardly able to contain the realization that they finally found her, "We looked aaaaall over for you!"

"I know," Betty told her, leaning on the rail to her bed, "Simon told me everything. You are a very brave little girl," she paused to let Marceline bask in the glow of the compliment, "And I want you to know how much it means to me that you've been there to keep Simon company all those years I wasn't there…"

"Simon is my best friend," Marceline pointed out and her love for the man shone in her eyes, "he didn't leave me like the others… gave me his food… I know that he acts weird sometimes, but he's good on the inside."

"I'm glad you see it," Betty felt tears welling up in her eyes as she leaned forward and embraced the little girl. Only a minute they've been talking and she could see why Simon adored her so much, "Marceline… I promised Simon I was going to protect you, because right now he can't," she explained as she gently smoothed Marceline's hair, "But I'm going to find a way for you to see him, okay?"

"Okay, princess," Marceline smiled

"Betty," she told her softly, "Call me Betty."

Mertins watched the two girls talk and he felt sort of out of place. But watching was heart lifting because deep down he knew he did a good deed. What he wanted and what was best were two different things, and he found himself okay with that.

xxx

Unfortunately Betty couldn't stay forever. Once she got Marceline talking, the guards called in important looking people in suits. Marceline was a smart girl and knew to stop talking when they walked up to her bed. She looked up at them with her large red eyes that kept opening wider. Betty was taken away, one of the men muttering something about questions. Mertins tried to follow after her, but a guard set a hand on his shoulder and led him back to the center of the room in such a way that he couldn't refuse,

"The general has some questions," the man explained, gesturing to the gray haired, square jawed man with all the intimidating colorful ribbons and pins on his jacket, "Major, here's the head nurse. Mertins sir, he can answer some of your questions."

"Um… hello, sir," Mertins nervously greeted the intimidating man with a salute, slowly lowering his hand in embarrassment when he was met with annoyance, "At your service."

"Good," the answer seemed to please him as he side-stepped to face the child, squinting eyes looking at her as if she were some contaminated thing, "I suppose she is not contaminated, considering she's out in the open and we are not wearing masks?"

"Oh, no," Mertns assured the general, "Simon and Marcy are void of any biological diseases. They appear to be immune."

"Simon," the general tested the word and then a light bulb went off in his head, "The Ice Man."

"Yes sir," Mertins nodded softly, "The… Ice Man…"

"The two were brought in together," the general spoke in a matter that preserved energy, making only important and relevant comments- this bothered Mertins who felt like he was speaking to a machine when the general added, "Are the subjects related?"

"The results of our tests came back negative," Mertins confirmed, his eyes darting over at Marceline, who was quickly getting irritated with the general's emotionless comments, "I can only presume that he found her… or vise versa."

"Makes sense," he grumbled, "Freak stuck to his own kind. The girl isn't human either from what I hear,"

"Not… exactly," Mertins was hesitant to answer, not wanting to damage Marcy's safety, "I would say she's not much different from us, really…"

"Hm," the general gruffly huffed as he walked up till his stomach nearly touched the edge of the hospital bed, "What do you know about the crown?"

Marceline examined the man closely, her red eyes wielding a kind of insight one normally couldn't find in a child of her age. She tensed up when she realized what kind of man this was hovering over her. All he cared about was the crown, and the crown she knew was a weapon and curse, more than it was anything else. Shaking her head curtly back and forth she silently denied an answer to his question. Disobedience angered the general and it showed in the sharp angles that formed his features as his wrinkled face pinched and hardened.

"I don't have time for games, kid," he snapped, "The world is burning to ash as we speak. I need answers," his lip curled back as he slammed his hand on her bedrail and gripped it with noticeable force, "I _will_ have my answers, one way or another," he narrowed his eyes, making sure the shaking child looked into his own as he added, "Must I take the same precautions with you as I took with Petrikov?"

"Simon?" Marceline tugged against her bonds at the mentioning of Simon's surname, anger blaring in her eyes, "Did you hurt him?" her girlish voice sounded like a hissing kitten, though if she were unbound her actions would be that of a vicious tiger, "Where is he? I want to see him!"

"I bet you do," in the general's eyes Marceline saw something clarify and she froze with gritted teeth, tears pricking her eyes, "As much as he wants to see you," he added quietly, with an ulterior motive "We told him that he could see you if he showed us the crown's power."

"No!" Marceline squealed, unable to contain her horror, "You can't make him do that!" her head shook back and forth violently as she pleaded and yanked her arms and legs till she felt she might bruise her own flesh, "If he puts it on he'll change… Simon can't control it, he'll ch-change and you'll be sorry you didn't listen!"

He gestured to one of his men, and the brute walked up like a dog to his commanding officer's side. In his hand was what looked like a gun, but it had a needle inside the chamber that would normally house ammunition Marceline bit her bottom lip as the man handed it to the general, and looked to Mertins for help when the general fiddled with it tauntingly in front of her,

"Sir?" Mertins caught the man's attention and he turned, looking over his shoulder, "I need to know what that is you're injecting her with, sir…"

"It's on a need to know basis, son," was the only response the general offered before Mertins was grabbed by the arm and lead out of the area. Turning to Marceline, the general lost all emotion, as if he wasn't looking down at a frightened child, "Be lucky you can be of use or I would have you put on a slab."

When he grabbed her arm to steady her Marceline screamed and thrashed wildly. Adrenaline pumped through her body and suddenly the effects washed away. She pulled her arms free and knocked the horrible man back in the process. He stumbled back, dazed and filled with horror and rage. Marceline was quick on her feet, leaping off the bed and scampering under the legs of the guards surrounding her room. As she ran the broken cuffs dangled on her wrists, a reminder of her imprisonment. The guards fumbled to get out of the curtain as it clung to their wide forms. As she ran down the hall, Marceline passed Mertins, who looked from her to the guards once before pretending to trip, knocking over a service tray in the process. He curled into a ball as the men ran past him like a wild herd of wildebeest.

Marceline disappeared. They searched everywhere they thought a little girl could go in such a short amount of time, but there was not a trace of her. After several hours of manpower seemingly wasted, it seemed there was no other option. The general was demanding something immediate be done to find her,

"Find that girl, immediately!" he bellowed,

"Sir, we've searched everywhere… she's probably in the vents or in the walls for all we know… her abilities are unknown," the guard tried to explain but all the general wanted was a solution, not silly useless excuses,

"Bring me Petrikov," his voice was low and filled with loathing.

Meanwhile, not too far off, two small figures huddled side by side in the floor vents. Marceline worriedly watched the men walk away, to where she assumed Simon was being held, desperately wanting to follow them. Her companion, the one who had helped her Houdini out of that pickle with the guards, offered her a sweet smile. She grabbed Marcy's hand with her pink one and putting a finger to her lips, began to lead her down the corridor,

"Where are we going?" Marceline asked quietly

"I know where they are keeping him…" the pink girl told Marcy, "but we can't wait there, they will find us," she explained in a tender fashion she hoped her hot-headed friend would understand, "I think I know what they are planning… we will hide in another spot and wait for them to come to us, okay Marcy?"

"Will I get to see Simon?"

"I promise," her friend smiled, "I don't know for how long, but you will."

"Okay," Marceline sighed as she followed after the little girl who left the vents smelling oddly like bubblegum.

xxx

Simon felt drained. It had been only a week since he arrived and already he felt like he'd been there for his entire life. The tests were like torture and the people treated him like the plague. Letting out a frosty sigh, he tried to relax, but his back was plagued by a searing pain, the remnants of the bone marrow sample they insisted to acquire earlier this morning… or yesterday. It was actually quite difficult to decipher the time where he was because, not only was there a lack of windows, but clocks as well. Simon wondered if that was just a coincidence, or some kind of safety measure. He had discovered the other day that there were other things locked away alongside of him, none of them quite as sophisticated as himself. Perhaps that was why he was everyone's favorite guinea pig and pin cushion. Simon could tell them how he felt or what medications did what to him. Whatever the case was… his back hurt like the dickens.

Rolling onto his stomach he collected the pillow in his arms and snuggled into it. Though not as soft as he'd like it to be, Simon found some comfort in it as he closed his eyes. Puckering his lips he gave it a kiss, pretending it was Betty. Simon quickly put that to an end as he realized how silly and desperate that was. When the door opened he jumped into a sitting position and tried to hide the blush spreading across his face like wildfire,

"Get to your feet," the guard snapped, obviously wherever they were going, they were going there quickly, "stand in the center of the room and put your hands on your head."

"Hello," Simon droned as he forced his aching body off the bed and begrudgingly did as he was asked, "The weather's nice, my dad sucked… too bad my favorite team lost the game."

"We don't have time for your quips today," the man's voice was as harsh as the way he grabbed Simon's wrists and yanked them behind his back, "Orders from the top."

"H-Hey!" Simon yelped, "What are you… ow!"

"Your little friend escaped," a second guard grumbled as he came into the room, "So you're going to help us find her."

"M-Marceline?" Simon stuttered as the man shoved him out into the hall, "Oh, no… I won't try to escape… please unbind me so I can look for her. She will come to me," he begged,

"We're counting on it," the guard smirked as he pulled a dart gun from his belt and twirled it on his finger, "Now start calling."

"What is that!?" Simon shouted fighting against the guard's strong grip, "Marceline is a child! I'm not going to let you shoot my little girl!"

"That bratty little monster!?" the guard spat, "I guess you'd take care of your own kind," and that hurt Simon, that anyone would compare his beautiful girl to himself, "Stop fussing or I'll shoot you too old man, it's not like we're going to kill her. It's just a tranquilizer."

"You're still firing a weapon at a child!" Simon argued as he pushed his shoulder back at the man, "That's not cool!"

The guard shoved Simon forward and the unexpected action sent him straight to the ground. Without his hands to catch himself, Simon did his best to land smoothly but all he managed to do was not hit his head. When the guard bent over to pick him up Simon yelped in pain as his shoulder moved. It wasn't that bad, just sore from landing on it wrong, but it still hurt. Simon and the guard walked down the hall and out of the holding cells. They walked around the facility a little bit before he jabbed him in the back with the dart gun, his gruff voice urging him to speak,

"Call out to her," he instructed, "Go on, do it,"

"Would it kill you to say 'please'?" Simon snorted before he lifted his head and looked around, "And put that gun away, I'm not calling out for her if you're going to shoot her."

The guard jabbed him again and Simon grumbled bitterly, "Jab me with that thing one more time and I'm not saying another word!"

"If you don't get her to come out we're calling in professionals," the guard chuckled, "So if you want her to be captured _unharmed,_ I suggest you start coaxing her out of hiding."

Rings deepened under Simon's eyes as he suddenly realized how dire the situation was, his gentle voice calling out with urgency, "Marceline! Marceline!? Sweetheart, please come out! The men are veeeeery upset… come out, please," he shook his head after fifteen minutes of calling for her, feeling that maybe she escaped, or worse… something happened to her, "Marcy!? I don't want them to hurt you darling, so please! Please come out!"

A figure ran across the hall, too small to be an adult. Simon's heart jumped in his chest as he fought against the guard's hold to run towards it, calling out Marceline's name with more fervor. The figure peeked around the corner and was too far away to make out exactly, but it had to be her. Simon was shoved down to his knees and firmly instructed to stay where he was. More guards came to the location and surrounded the hallway where the little girl had run off to. Frantically trying to reason with the guard Simon tried to stand but was held down with the man's steel-toed boot. To be sure Simon wouldn't interfere with the capture; the guard shot Simon once in the leg with the dart gun before smugly walking off toward the crowd.

Simon felt his body instantly going numb and he melted into the floor. He watched with conscious, wide eyes as the men started shouting and holding up weapons. Why did they look so shocked…? Was she trying to fight them? _Oh, no…_ Simon inwardly begged that she would go quietly, shutting his eyes tight to pray. He opened them when he felt a small warm hand slowly and softly move the hair out of his face. Pulling back his bangs like a curtain, Marceline revealed herself with a toothy grin. Simon stared at her, wishing he could hug her with all his might. Marceline wrapped her arms around him instead, and savored their reunion.

"I'm glad you're okay," she whispered softly, "I thought you were dead… then I thought they were going t- to… cut y-you open…" her eyes welled up with fresh hot tears as she gripped his clothes with all her might, "I thought I wasn't going to see you again, Simon…"

"Shhh," he cooed gently, "Don't cry Marcy… and don't worry about me, I'm… doing great- look at how relaxed I am now," he joked with a fake chuckle, "Now stop those tears, I think they've spotted you…" Simon commented as he noticed the crowd coming back to them, a little pink girl in their captivity, "Who's that?"

"My new friend," Marceline whispered with a smile, "She knew they wouldn't let me talk to you so she offered to distract them."

As the guards huddled around Simon and Marcy, Marceline latched onto Simon protectively. She growled at the first guard who dared to come near her, his hand reaching out to pull her away. He retracted his hand and took a step back. Red demon eyes stared them down and infected their subconscious with fear. This was no child, no _human_ child. Of course… this was no man either. The crowd looked upon the two of them with fear and loathing, thinking of them only as monsters. A man stepped forward, rose his hand and fired four shots,

"Bind him," he instructed, "He's coming with us."

xxx

((Author's note: Cliffhanger! Sorry guys, you'll have to wait till next week to see what happens next. hope you liked the chapter and don't forget to R&R))

Also thanks Scuro-Valzer for editing awesomeness!


	9. Storm Clouds

Storm Clouds

They had so many questions she couldn't answer and a few she simply wouldn't answer. But Betty didn't dare tell them that, she simply told half truths, it's what they deserved for tormenting Simon. Plus, she felt like she was baking in this room with the light on her. She kept her hand up to shield her eyes from the light,

"Can I go now?" she asked, her voice less shaken from the irritation of being kept in the small, dark room for so long, "I answered your questions,"

"One more," the man replied flatly, "Simon Petrikov is a name that pops up in your old files…" he caught the slight widening of her eyes, as much as she managed to catch herself. Betty was watched like a hawk as she quickly sipped her coffee to steady her nerves, "You know him."

"That's not really a question is it?" she replied while setting the cup down gently, "And none of your business."

"The war isn't over," the agent replied coldly, "that man may be the key to ending it. They say he's a walking weapon,"

"I know him," she said plainly, "he was never a violent man. Very kindhearted,"

"Is that so?"

"Yes," Betty grumbled, "Now I'm leaving whether you're done with your supposed questions or not. I have work to do."

Betty stood and the man knew he couldn't keep her. He walked to the door and opened it for her. As Betty left, he examined the way she carried herself. Lightly pressing his hand to his ear he activated his com,

"Sir? I think we have another suspect," he said, "I will need to look into the matter a little more."

Xxx

Simon held back his tears as he was shoved forward, a gun to his head. Behind him, a few guards followed behind the military personnel that had insisted on escorting him to a new room. One of them had Marceline in his arms, still unconscious. It upset Simon that they didn't even have the decency to hold her the right way, letting her head flop around like a ragdoll. After rounding a corner, they directed Simon towards a room. As the door opened, Simon instantly caught the greeting glimmer of something golden.

"No," Simon pleaded as he stumbled and struggled against the men that were now practically dragging him into the room, "Please, no!" As a last ditch effort to prevent what was inevitable, Simon dug his feet into the floor and with the last of his strength fought to keep on his side of the threshold, "You don't understand, please… p-please... anything but that… not the crown," he sobbed as something hard hit his shoulder and he stumbled awkwardly into the containment chamber. A wall of bulletproof glass fell from the ceiling and separated him from everyone else, "Wait," he breathed as he turned and put his hands to the glass, "Listen to me! Listen to me…" he whimpered,

'_I'm listening__ Simon…'_

Simon's eyes opened wide in torment. He felt compelled to run to it, but shook his head and scolded himself, telling his thoughts that the crown was bad, not good… _bad_… not good…

_Not_ good…

_Good. _

He felt the air in the room grow colder, but as the glass frosted over, Simon sighed, feeling comfortable, at ease… serene. Shaking his head, he scolded himself. The crown was already weaving its influence around him like a python slowly intertwining its victim in a vice. Soon he would know the blissful release of emptiness, followed by the horrors that followed when he woke up from such sleep. Tears came to his eyes as he pressed his back to the glass and cried one last plea,

"Please… you don't understand…"

'_Simon…_' the crown cooed lovingly, '_Oh, I missed you darling… don't be nervous. I know these cruel creatures have hurt you, but not me. I won't hurt you, my king,_'

"I'm not a king!" Simon screamed, and the men looked at him like he was going insane, "Stop! Please!"

'_Come to me, Simon_,' it purred, '_I can feel your plight, but no worries… I will make everything better._'

He watched his reflection glimmer back at him from its surface, its beautiful golden surface. And how Simon longed to touch the cold, smooth golden crest… hold it… _wear_ it. He bit his bottom lip thinking about how blissful the world was when he wore the crown, and he almost picked it up. At the last moment, when his fingertips were so close the fine hairs lightly touched its surface, Simon yanked it away. He held his hand as if someone had just grabbed it, shaking his head and stepping away from the table,

"Go on," the general's voice echoed in the chamber, letting Simon know that they were watching him, probably from a different location,

"I won't put it on," Simonprotested, "I won't," shaking his head he turned and stared at the guards defiantly. His determination quickly melted into panic as he beheld one of them holding a slumbering Marceline in their arms, something pressed to her head. Simon's heart dropped, "Marceline… no, put her down!" he demanded frantically as he banged on the glass, "Let her go… she's just a little girl!"

"She's _your_ little girl right?" the man told Simon mockingly, "You have options here, Mr. Petrikov. And as for us, we have…orders," the man holding her informed Simon indifferently, though the warning in his tone bled through, "We don't need her. Only you."

"Marcy," Simon breathed, suddenly feeling as if there were a pressure on his chest, his jaw hanging open, revealing that his jagged and pointed teeth were clattering slightly due to his nerves, "I-If I put it on… will you let her go?"

"We will let her live," he responded, cocking the hammer of the firearm, "So you decide what's more important here."

Simon's hands trembled terribly as he pulled them away from the glass. What choice did he have? He had to protect her… he promised. But Simon knew he had also promised her he wouldn't put it on again. Isn't that life though? Breaking one promise to keep another?

"I-I'm sorry darling," he whispered with tears in his eyes, "I… I have to break my promise again. I hope it is the l-last time…"

'_Yes_,' the crown growled impatiently, '_come now, Simon… I won't tell. Your little girl is fast asleep… be one with me once more… be complete__._'

Simon turned and looked at the crown. A desperate man reflected in the faces of the bright red rubies adorning the front. Bottom lip trembling, he lifted his hands and hesitantly reached for it. Simon carefully picked the crown up. He already felt his mind shifting when he lifted it, hearing the voices echo in his skull in urgency as he hesitated with it just inches from his scalp. Before he did what had to be done, Simon whispered a sorrow filled remark he knew by heart,

"Please forgive me."

It was easier to simply let it slip through his fingers, like a man jumping off a building, than to set it down. When it touched his head the world bled black. Simon saw the creatures everywhere, heard the voice everywhere. The crown blew a brisk breeze on the back of his neck and Simon turned around. He saw their faces fill with disbelief, heard the cracking of brittle glass and then… nothing.

Xxx

Simon raised his hand and wind came from nowhere, encircling him. His hair grew as his expression turned cold. Throwing his arm forward, giant icicles flew forth, penetrating the glass that separated him from the outside world. He didn't like being trapped behind the glass with so many eyes watching him. When the glass broke, raining down to the floor a twinkling mass, the man holding Marcy, tightened his hold on her and slowly began to back away. Breathing visible breaths, Simon locked eyes with him, silently promising him death. Summoning the power of frost, Simon let his emotions flood the room, coating everything in a thick layer of ice. It latched onto the guard's feet, trapping them. Laughing, Simon lifted off the ground and threw his hands over his head, a storm vortex swirling and growing in the tiny space,

"You want to know my power!?" he snarled as the light fixtures above him shattered and rained light, "I will show you my power!"

Marceline's unconscious body fell to the floor. At first she lay there, unmoving but the cold ground stirred her from the drug-induced sleep. Groggily looking up, she saw the man that had taken her completely encased in ice, a horrified expression on his face. There were _several_ men, completely encased in ice. Her heart sank. She looked around, her hair wiping against her face in her desperation to locate Simon. Marceline saw him floating, eyes looking at something that wasn't there,

"Simon!" she scrambled to get to her feet as he hovered above the ground, "Simon, the crown! Please take it off! You can take it off now! I'm safe, see? Simon!" she cried when he did not acknowledge her, the expression he wore hinting that his mind was deep in thought,

"I'm not Simon," he said frigidly, "What did they call me… the Ice Man?" he chuckled deeply, "But I am no mere _man_, child. I am a _king_!" he reached out and grabbed her arms with an eerie glee, pulling her nose-to-nose with him, "A king of _ice_ and _snow!_"

"Okay," Marceline agreed through her panic as he nearly held her off the ground. His hands were so cold, it hurt for him to grip her arms as tightly as he was, "B-But you know who I am right?" she asked hopefully, squeaking as he yanked her closer and inspected her face. Query bled to familiarity and eventually he nodded with slight irritation, "You do?"

He released her and she landed awkwardly, knees nearly touching the floor before she wildly sprung back up and wrapped her arms around his legs, climbing up to cling to his midsection the best she could while fighting the wind and numbness of her fingers. The tips of her toes scraped against the floor as she struggled to hang on to him. Clutching his clothes, Marceline buried her face in his clothes and wept. The wind died down a bit and slowly, his feet touched and settled on the ground. His expression softened as he gently set his hand on her head and petted her hair like he would a cat,

"Don't cry Gunter," he cooed, "Daddy's here. You're safe with daddy," he sounded nothing like himself, his voice cracking unnaturally, "Here, look…"

Marceline looked up, following as he raised his hand over his head and swirled it around. Clouds formed and quickly bled black. White snow fell from them and lightly blanketed the destruction he had caused. It was like he was trying to say it never happened. Smiling blissfully, the Ice King wrapped an arm around Marcy and gave her a rough squeeze, as if he didn't quite know how to be gentle. Marcy wiped her tears away as he knelt down to be eye level with her, a wide toothy grin on his face,

"All better right?" he chuckled, shaking her roughly by the shoulder as he cheered, "That's my girl!" He paused, looking away and then back with an eager twinkle in his eye, "Now take me to her," he instructed, losing the comforting tone he had held just a second ago, now sounding more eager and impatient,

"Take you where?" Marceline's weak voice questioned, "T-To who?"

"Why, to my princess," he purred with a lustful gaze, "Take me to her!"

"Oh, no," Marceline shook her head, "I don't think that's a good idea," Marceline argued, trying not to shiver as Simon, or 'Ice King' turned sour and pushed her toward the door, "Hey!"

"Take- me- to- my- PRINCESS," he snarled, sounding hardly human, "I need her," his tone shifted again, this time lighter as he grabbed her wrist as he ran past, tugging her faster than she could manage to match with his mistimed steps, "Then we will be a family… just you and me… and the _princess!_"

"Simon…" Marceline pleaded, fighting him as he pulled her out into the hallway, where they were met with more heavily armed guards, "Oh, no… Simon don't hurt them! You'll be sad later!"

"Whose side are you on!?"

He threw her to the ground, albeit out of harm's way. Throwing his arms forward, the king of ice and snow shot frost at his attackers and deterred their attack. He laughed maniacally as he spread storm clouds through the hall and large bolt-shaped ice fixtures fell from his clouds. One of them crumbled a wall and Ice King laughed hysterically as people began running out into the open to escape a small explosion. Marceline was screaming and sobbing as she clung to his coat, hoping he would stop if she asked him enough times. But he was ready to make them pay for what they did to him, violating his body… keeping him from his princess, and his _crown_.

"I hope I'm not disappointing anyone," he laughed maniacally, "Gunter, get off you're distracting me," he snapped as he kicked Marceline off his leg, ignoring her small whimper of pain as she hit the floor, "Now stay there and be good for daddy," he sing-songed, "I've got…" his words died on his tongue.

A woman stepped out into the hall, being careful not to trip on the debris. Ice King recognized her instantly, the red hair and the glasses just like he remembered in his dreams. Holding his breath, he knew she was the one he wanted. Hands clawed, Simon stepped forward, dragging his tongue across his pointed teeth, recalling in his twilight memories the taste of something so sweetly sour about her lips. His eyes were fixated on them as they parted to mouth a single word. Eyes locking with hers he forgot about everything else around him. But something was wrong with his princess, he could tell by her face. She didn't understand the eyes looking back at her, thinking that this man was a stranger. But he knew that she knew he was her king, her lover. Why would she be so confused?

Looking at Simon this way broke Betty's heart- she now understood what he meant by curse. Betty saw the fright in Marceline's face as she picked herself off the floor and latched onto Simon, trying to keep him from venturing forth. Betty knew that she should be running. Security and military were evacuating the area, pushing her out of sight so this wasn't really that hard. Betty did not want to leave him but… Simon had wanted her to stay away from him when he wore the crown and though Betty dearly wanted to help, she knew that disappearing into the crowd was the best thing she could do. In her heart, she prayed that Marceline would be alright, the poor thing looked terrified.

As soon as she was out of his sights the self proclaimed king wailed and the winds howled along with him, feeling his anguish. In a quick fit of rage he brutally shoved Marceline back down onto the ground to separate himself from her. His eyes were filled with anger and blame.

"She got away because of you!" he hissed, charging his hands with ice magic, "Bad Gunter! Maybe I should freeze you too, _give you a time out_," his voice dropped at the last part, which made Marceline believe he wasn't joking,

"I-I'm sorry!" she whimpered, covering her face with her arm, "I was s-scared…"

She watched the anger in his eyes dwindle to irritation before he redirected his magic at the men now attacking him. Throwing his hand up he formed an ice barrier that quickly began to chip away, not that he paid much attention to it. His attentions were focused on Marceline. Ice King opened his mouth to yell at her but something broke through his shield and hit his shoulder- and it HURT. Simon stumbled and bent over in pain, the crown nearly slipping off his head while he thrashed about to relieve the ache. He howled as he saw red staining his shirt. Marceline gasped at the wound, at the blood pouring down his arm. She ran in front of him when she saw something else fly by, desperate to protect him,

"Please!" she begged, "Stop! He didn't mean it! H-he didn't m-mean it!"

"Stop firing live rounds!" the voice of the general was definite and harsh as he shoved his way to the front lines, "He's useless to me as a corpse."

Simon glared at this man as he clutched his wounded arm, knowing that he had a burning hatred for him, "Get behind me," he ordered, "NOW."

"S-Simon?" Marceline dared to ask at the risk of being yelled at again, "…is that you?"

"Shut up," he snapped and Marceline backed away as he had instructed, thinking he sounded like he was starting to come back, "do as you're told," well maybe not as much as she'd like, but he was getting there,

"P-Please…" she sniveled, clutching her clothes in desperation, but her soft cries fell on deaf ears,

"Petrikov," the general addressed Simon with authority, his brow furrowing ever so slightly as the madman seemed confused by the name, "So this is the power you were so afraid of…"

"I don't like you," Simon growled as he narrowed his eyes. He raised his arm to drop icicles from the ceiling clouds but an unbearable pain shot through him. He quickly lowered it, inspecting the wound with a solemn, "My… arm…"

"Simon!" Marceline yelled as she threw a ball of snow.

Simon gasped as the crown was knocked off his head by a snowball and turned to meet her, his expression filled with worry and regret,

"Marcy…" he softly whispered as he saw the tears staining her cheeks, the light bruising on her arms, "Darling, did I hurt you? Sweetheart I'm so…" he slightly opened his arms when he saw her clutching her dress, knowing that his baby girl needed a hug.

Marceline ran into his trembling, open arms. As he wrapped his tremulous limbs around her small frame Simon collapsed onto his knees and wept. He cried, apologizing to her till they cuffed and took him away.

Simon stumbled through the crowd, his arm searing with pain, his head bowed to hide the frightened faces staring at him. Behind him, a man carried the crown with a pair of tongs, not daring to touch it. And in the crowd he heard the people talking, heard them murmuring 'Ice Man' like he was some creature from an old time monster movie. A bitter cold tear ran down the side of his face as he tried to block them out, but the voices were around him as more people flocked to see the freak show. It was almost worse than the crown, because Simon knew these were words spoken by people, this was what people thought of him as- a freak… a… a monster.

xxx

"Strap him down tightly."

This room instantly shifted Simon's concerns to self-preservation. It was simple; a table, a large light, a few machines… but the doctor terrified him most. They forced him down on the table despite his thrashing, his screams of anguish, and apologies. His wrists, ankles and head were forced flat against the table. What little thrashing he could do was a joke, leaving him at their mercy,

"What are you going to do with me?" he directed his question at the doctor, desperate for any answer, "Please… I tried to tell them… I can't control it!"

"Nurse," the doctor said, ignoring Simon's remarks, "Administer the blood warmer."

"Wait," Simon cried, "Why? Why would you do that…? It doesn't work!"

"It makes you more complacent," the doctor sounded concerned as he hesitantly stepped up to the table, acknowledging Simon for the first time, "I'm not taking any chances."

"I'm not an animal," Simon told him desperately, looking him in the eye,

"You're not human either," was the answer Simon received,

"I'm not a monster," he retorted, desperate to not be named so. The answer he received broke his spirit,

"We're not so sure what you are, Mr. Petrikov."

Xxx

Hours later, Simon was thrown back into his room, barely aware as the drugs were dying in his system. He ached all over, his body poked full of holes and his skin irritated from the things they stuck all over to read his vitals. The blood warmer's effects were starting to wear thin and he was grateful for that. It made him nauseous and sluggish. It wasn't difficult to fall asleep, even on the cot provided for him. Amongst his nightmares, Simon felt a hand touch his shoulder and jolted upright, fear filling his face,

"Don't touch me," he fearfully pleaded, "Please… ple… B-Betty?"

His face dropped as he realized she had come to see him. He didn't know that she had been there, that she had seen him. But he knew that she must have heard about the "monster" attacking everyone. Adverting his eyes, Simon held back his tears and tried to smile and pretend he wasn't upset. But he felt so broken and alone he just couldn't put on the show, not even for his princess. Betty sat beside him and brought his head to her breast tenderly. Stroking his hair, she kissed his head as he broke into a fit of heavy sobbing.

"It's okay, darling," she whispered into his frayed hair, "Let it out, it's okay."

Simon grabbed one of her hands and held onto it till the end of her fingers turned white. Betty gently rubbed his back with her free hand. After a few moments he managed to steady his breathing and compose himself, choking out a concern of all things,

"B-Betty… you shouldn't be here…"

"I had to see you," she told him with a soft sternness, "I don't care if you want me here or not. I had to come,"

"I'm dangerous," he choked out, still waving off the drugs and afterglow of the crown's power, "I can hear it clearer now, Betty," he told her in a hushed tone as if the walls were listening, "It's talking about you… about how I'm going to bury this place in the snow… I can't take it," he gripped her wrists as he pulled back and looked into her eyes, "You should go. Somewhere. Anywhere that's not here. The next time I wear it… something terrible is going to happen."

"I'm not leaving you twice," she whispered as she gently kissed his cheek. When he released her wrists Betty draped her arms around his shoulders and gave him a light hug. She nestled her lips against his ear, whispering, "You're sweet to worry about me so much. But I can handle myself, Simon. I'm a big girl."

"I love you," was his response, turning his head to kiss her temple.

Betty kissed his cheek, his jaw, his lips. She cupped his face in her hands as she leaned into him. Simon hesitantly ran his hands up her arms. He froze when he felt the welted red scratch marks. Pulling away he shook his head and apologized. Betty brushed his bangs out of his face and kissed his cheek. When Simon recoiled at the affection she caught the pain in his face, the disgust he felt for his own body. Betty stood and paced around a little, decided what she should do,

"You know I love you," she told him,

"Yes," Simon responded through his hands,

"Do you?" she responded with slightly more force.

Simon shook his head, buried in his ice-cold palms, "No princess… I… I don't,"

"I do," her voice was soft and hinting intention, "I do love you."

He heard Betty shuffling in front of him and caught something falling in his peripheral vision. It was her skirt. Eyes opening wide Simon looked up through his bangs and she was standing there, smiling so sweetly, her unbuttoned blouse held up by her slightly bent arms. Mesmerized, Simon slowly stood and in tandem her arms fell limply to her sides, allowing the shirt to slip to the floor. He looked upon her as if she were some godly thing, his hand rising and falling as he longed but feared to touch her. The marks on her arms contrasted heavily against her pale skin, making them look worse than they were and though she covered the cut on her lip with makeup, he knew it was there too. He knew that she was delicate and so when he stood toe to toe with her he only let his fingertips touch the soft tendrils of her red hair. Betty closed her eyes as she reached and led his hand to her cheek, knowing that was what he wanted to fondle. Her skin was so warm in contrast to his it shocked him and startled her, but the both of them smiled as their eyes locked,

"I do love you," she whispered tenderly as she began softly undoing the buttons on his shirt, "And no matter what anyone says… I will continue to love you. No matter what you look like, I will love you. I will want you."

"Betty," he softly disputed with his tone as she slipped the clothing over his shoulders, down his arms, "You don't have to… I know…"

"Always," her sultry tone hit his ears and melted his resolve. She wrapped her arms around him in a tender gesture, "Because what's in here," she tenderly stroked the flesh over his heart with her fingertips before sliding it up to wrap around his head, bringing him in to kiss the end of his nose, "That's what matters, Simon."

"Princess…" he trailed off as she leaned in further and pressed her lips to his. But as he felt her warmth Simon couldn't help but focus on how cold he was and softly blurted out an apology, some thought that had been plaguing him, "I… I wish I could be that man again…"

"Stop dwelling on the past," she hushed him by putting her finger to his lips, "We're here now… I'm here now…" her voice trailed off as she stroked his lips with her thumb, her voice sultrily adding a breathy, "And if you really don't believe that I love you, Simon… I suppose I will have to _show_ you," her brow raised mischievously as she leaned in for a kiss, which he happily gave her, pulling her close and allowing himself to melt in her warmth.

xxx

((Author's notes: thank you scuro-Valzer for the awesome editing! Hey guys hope you enjoyed this weeks chapter, be sure to R&R. Feedback just makes my day))


	10. Watching the Sun Set Slowly

Watching the Sun Set Slowly

Her breathing was rampant, chest heaving with strained force as she ran through the winds biting at her flesh. Every step she made was a miracle in the broken terrain. As she rounded the corner she nearly collapsed, but caught herself on the rough remains of a wall. Face pressed against her hands, forehead touching the cold surface Betty sucked in air till she threw herself into a coughing fit. The air was so cold it made breathing painful. Body wanting to give in, Betty's knees bent and pressed together as she lightly sobbed. Silence overcame her as she heard a voice carried on the wind, off in the way it was eerily chipper, lustful in the way it called out her nickname,

"Priiiiiiiiiiiiincess," he called, "Priiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiincess…"

Betty held back her sobs as she pushed herself off the wall and started running as fast as her numb legs would go. It wasn't fast enough to escape her pursuer, who descended from the sky. His white eyes fell upon her with joy, like a child finding the treasure they'd eaten an entire box of cereal for. Betty sniffled, knowing that running at this point was useless. She wrapped her arms around her body as she backed away, eyes filled with fear,

"Why princess," he cooed through a sleazy smile, eyes focusing entirely on her, "Didn't you hear me calling for you?"

"I…" she stammered, unable to put words together at first, "I'm sorry… Simon… I…"

"Simon?" his eyes narrowed and suddenly he was so close, hovering over her trembling form, "Who's Simon?" He looked down at her wide eyes and his face softened. Ice King raised his hand and gently stroked her cheek, "Oh just look at you," he breathed out, his breath a wisp of frost, "So _beautiful_."

Betty closed her eyes, retracting her balled fists to her chest as she bowed her head. He kissed her hair gently, _possessively_ and then leaned back, looking her over and muttering to himself. His icy hands tried to settle on her hips but she pushed them away. Betty pressed her back to the wall and looked into his face with fear, unsure of exactly what he was going to do next. He just stared back at her, grinning. Ice King reached out and placed a hand beside her head, blocking any attempt she might make to escape. Pulling his smirk sideways he leaned in and looked at her, utterly infatuated. The clouds above them blocked any light that might have been there, leaving Betty in the shade of a dark day. What used to be her fiancée reached over and ran his fingers through her hair, brought it to his nose and inhaled her scent.

"You are so beautiful, princess," he whispered darkly, "So very beautiful…"

"S-Simon," she tried to speak but he slammed his fist against the wall to silence her,

"So beautiful," he repeated after the echo faded away, as if nothing had happened, "You know I love you, princess," he whispered, "Don't you know I _need_ you?" the intensity of his tone escalated into a throaty growl, before he paused and his voice softened again, "So beautiful."

"P-Please," she whimpered timidly, "Simon… y-you're scaring me…"

"Soon you'll start to grow old, won't you?" he said, ignoring her fright as he pet her hair, lightly traced the fading scars on her arms, "And then you won't be so beautiful. And after that you'll die," there was a long terrifying pause before he leaned forward and kissed her passionately, against her wishes. When he pulled away there was a thickness to the air, the weight of his words falling on Betty's shoulders, "No. Princess, you're not allowed to leave me all alone. You're going to be mine forever."

Betty cried and pleaded with him, trying to get away as he cast his magical spell. Silence befell the darkness as his greatest treasure became immortal.

"Betty," Simon gasped, voice strained in panic as he jolted awake. He caught his broken breaths, finding that tears were pouring down his face when he rubbed his eyes.

"… Hm?" Betty mumbled as she half woke, feeling Simon shifting around as he held her, "Honey…did you say something?"

Simon tightened his hold on her silently with one arm while drying his tears with the other. He nestled his face into her hair, finding comfort in her scent as he trembled. Betty wiggled a bit as her back pressed more firmly against his chest and grew cold. She didn't say anything though, recognizing that perhaps something was wrong and that wasn't what he needed to hear. Instead she encouraged him to speak,

"Simon?" she began softly, grasping for answers, "Hun… did you sleep well?"

"I…" For a moment he considered telling her the truth, but as he began to speak, a half-truth rolled off his tongue, "…as well as I have been. Did you sleep well?" he whispered as he softly kissed her shoulder, over one of the red marks he'd left there, "You… okay?"

"Yeah," she sighed, gently running her fingers along his forearm, "I missed you,"

"I missed you too, princess," he responded innocently,

"_Missed you_," she repeated with emphasis and Simon's face lit ablaze, "…I wonder how long we've been asleep?" she changed the subject smoothly when she felt his body stiffen with embarrassment, "I have to be back at work soon…" she added with a cat-like yawn,

"Mother warned me about girls like you," he sighed, snuggling against her, "They love you and leave you," even though it was a joke, Betty caught the slightest bit of truth in what he was saying, like he believed it,

"I'd never leave you a second time," she cooed as she rolled over to face him. Betty nudged his nose to the side with hers and smiled, "Never ever."

She knew he had been crying- she could see the dampness of his cheeks even as he bowed his head to hide his eyes. Wrapping her arms around him she comforted him silently, knowing that if he didn't want to talk about it, it was best to leave it alone. But, despite this, Simon did have something to say, and it made Betty's smile fade,

"Betty…" Simon spoke quietly and somberly, "I'm sorry to bring this up, but… sweetheart I love you,"

"I love you too," she interjected, lightly kissing his damp cheek,

"I… I know dear, but listen…" he hardened his voice slightly as she began trying to divert the conversation with Eskimo kisses, "Betty, listen," he looked into her eyes, "If you ever think I'm not safe to be around, I would understand if you left me," he averted his eyes when she cupped his cheek, "I really would… I would want you to," he pressed his forehead to hers and sighed, "th-the last thing I want to do is hurt you."

"Simon, do you want to talk about your dream?"

His face fell, "Betty… I'm scared," he whispered as he pressed his face against hers, "I'm really… really scared…"

"Don't be," she kissed the side of his nose as his hold on her tightened, intent on saying something comforting but instead sneezing right in his face, "OH, oh… I'm SO sorry!"

"It's okay," Simon sighed as he wiped his face, "Not like this face can get any worse, now can it?"

"You're mean to yourself," Betty sniffled as she rubbed his cheek, "Under all that hair you still have the same face… just you know, blue."

"That's kind of you to say princess…" he sighed as he noticed the way she was slightly shivering in his embrace, "Oh… Betty, why didn't you tell me you were cold?"

"I'm fine," she breathed into his hair, "But… Simon, I wish I could stay…"

"I know honey," he responded sadly, "Me too."

Betty's eyes drifted down to the bandages on his upper arm, where he had been shot. Simon was such a kindhearted soul she knew he never would have done those things if it weren't for that crown. But she couldn't help but recall the way he had looked at her, it was as if a completely different man were in his body. Everything about him seemed so… different. And it wasn't his fault, not at all. Guilt nestled in her heart as she recalled that day she had left him and wondered…would things have been different if she had stayed?

"Simon," the determination her voice caught him off guard and he shifted back to look into her face, "Simon, I'm going to get you and Marcy out of here," she promised from her heart, "It'll be over my dead body that you die here."

"Don't say that," he hushed in panic, bringing her close and squeezing with all his might, "Princess please don't say that."

xxx

Marceline walked ahead of the men, her steps deterred by the cuffs on her ankles. She chewed on the manacles they had put on her wrists, grumbling as she recalled how they had commented about her being a flight risk. The room they brought her to was small and set with four fold out chairs. The guards urged her sit in one of them, though once Marceline sat down she complained that she would rather stand than sit in the stiff seat. Shortly after her arrival the door opened and in came her friend, wearing a strange expression. It was neither concerned nor fearful, but weary. She smiled when she locked eyes with Marceline, who bounced lightly in her seat.

"It is nice to see you again, Marcy," she said sweetly as she took a seat beside her, "How was your talk with Simon?"

"They shot him," Marceline pouted, "And then they shot me too… I woke up in this room… it was-"

Marceline was cut off as the lock on the door hitched. Both their heads turned and watched the door open. In came Simon, shackled in a similar fashion to Marceline. He looked rather unhappy as the man behind him nonchalantly pushed him into the room, nearly causing him to trip. All of the frustration melted from his face as his eyes befell Marceline, laughing as she flopped out of her seat and bunny-hopped to him. She jumped up and latched onto him, burying her face in his shirt. Watching the two curiously, Marceline's friend examined the two and their display of affection.

Simon set Marceline down at the request of the main guard. Apparently they were to have little to no contact with one another. Simon urged Marceline back into her seat, which she did obediently. Marceline sat on the end chair so that Simon was in the middle of her and her new friend. Simon's gaze wandered over to the strange albeit adorable little pink girl next to him. She'd been watching him with curiosity since he'd entered the room. He was surprised to hear her speak so eloquently in her pronunciation, being the age that she was, or rather seemed to be.

"Hello Simon," she said with a smile,

"Why hello there," he said softly, with a smile that was charming despite his appearance, "I never got to properly thank you for looking after my little girl. She means the world to me," he didn't notice the shift of pink in her cheeks as by habit he reached down and tussled her hair, "What's your name sweetheart?"

"They call me Bubblegum," she said, her voice quavering slightly as she grasped her patient uniform, "I suppose you can call me that… if you want to?"

"I…" Simon wasn't sure he should tell her that they had likely placed that name on her in ridicule, so instead he opted to make light of it, give the child some pride, "Sure darling, Bubblegum… a sweet little bubblegum princess."

"A… princess?" she blushed, "You think I could be a princess?"

"I-" Simon was interrupted by the sound of the door unlocking. He stood and stepped in front of the girls, not knowing who was going to come in. The guards reached out and grabbed his shoulders, fearing that Simon might do something unexpected, "Girls… don't say anything. Let me talk, okay?"

"Okay," they responded in unison.

A woman came in with a clipboard and an upturned nose that shouted attitude problems. She looked from Marcy, clutching Simon's leg, to Simon, bracing himself as if ready for a fight, to Bubblegum, who stood and stared silently. Scribbling in her notes the doctor pursed her lips and gave the guards a knowing look. The three were instantly encouraged to sit back down with brutish helping hands.

"I suppose you three are wondering why you're here," the ebony haired woman was apathetic as she tapped her pen against her paper, "this is mostly a debriefing… the organization has acknowledged that you three aren't like the others housed here," her voice dripped sarcasm at the last bit, and Simon could tell she was trying not to smirk, "So before we move on with our tests, we just want to get to know you a little better."

Simon narrowed his eyes at the woman, but held his tongue. It was not polite to bark at ladies. He sat back down and encouraged the girls to follow suit. They sat on each side of him, Marcy turned toward Simon and Bubblegum faced the doctor with a calculating stare. The woman addressed herself as Doctor Harley, to which the three in question nodded silently. Simon felt something grip his pants and looked down to find a small gray-blue hand latched onto his pant leg. He gently slipped his index finger under her palm and she lightly latched onto it. Marceline smiled contently, her shoulders dropping.

"Ma'am," Simon looked up at the woman with gentle eyes, the eyes a child uses when it requests something it really wants, "do the children have to be here? Whatever questions you have I feel I can answer… however there are certain things I will not…" He gestured with a slight nod of his head towards Marceline who looked at him with discontent,

"I'm not a child," she pouted, "How come you never tell me the truth?"

"Because…" Bubblegum interjected softly, looking down at the ground while she fidgeted her fingers, "He is trying to protect you."

"It would seem so," the doctor mused, scribbling in her notes, "Which is precisely why she's here."

Guards stepped up behind the three in question and grabbed onto their shoulders. Simon whipped around, breaking free as he fell to the floor and scrambled away. Marcy and Bubblegum squirmed in their seats, eyes opened wide with fright and concern. Getting to his feet with some difficulty Simon backed away from the men approaching him till he was trapped in the corner of the small room. As his body tensed, his eyes widened he resembled a frightened animal. But his eyes were on the girls more than the men hovering over him. The voice of Doctor Harley broke the pursuit,

"I have some specific questions I need you to answer for me Mr. Petrikov," She said, "You see, we found something that belongs to you… it appears that you know more than any of us about what's _really_ going on out there."

Her dainty fingers pulled some photos out of her papers and tossed them onto the floor. Simon shoved past the men, falling to his knees as he sifted through the images; his backpack, the enchiridion, the crown, his _journal_…

His tapes.

_Oh god_, he thought… the tapes.

Simon shook his head as he held the images in his hands, tightening his grip as his mind reeled. Eventually he couldn't take the idea that they would know everything. They would know about his princess…

_RIIIIP_

"Are the theatrics necessary?" The doctor questioned as she scribbled in her notes, with a raised brow, "Or is there something in those tapes you don't want us to see?" she tilted her chin up and to the side smugly, adding, "Or _someone_? Maybe there's someone you don't want us to know about?"

"Stop picking on him!" Marceline shouted, trying to shake herself free of the brute keeping her seated, "Leave Simon alone!"

Bubblegum looked over at Marceline. The poor thing was hysterical. Marceline thrashed about trying to get free, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. And at first, Bubblegum thought perhaps this was simply out of her possessive nature of the surrogate father figure role Simon was to her. But then Bubblegum eased her attentions over to Simon, who was on his knees with his head bowed. Shoulders trembling, he slowly looked up at the doctor and the fear and pain in his eyes was immeasurable. A thick, heavy tear rolled down his cheek and hit the floor as a shard of ice. In his hands he fisted the pictures into crumbled bits of paper.

"You leave my princess alone," And his voice stilled the child, because it wasn't his voice. It was broken and raspy and strained… filled with anguish and fear, "You leave her out of this or I'll make you sorry… I'll make all of you sorry…"

"No… Simon… not now…" Marceline whimpered, and Bubblegum understood, "…please not now…"

The doctor adjusted herself in her seat. In her features, one could tell she was slightly nervous, knowing that she was hitting tender areas of his psyche. But she had orders and this was important. Harley pressed on, flicking glances at the security to be sure they were on their toes,

"Does your '_princess_' know what you are, Simon?" Harley asked genuinely, with a hint of pity, "Or is she still under the impression that loves true kiss will make everything a Disney movie?"

"Stop," Simon snapped, one of his hands moving up to his temple, the pictures fluttering to the floor, his eyes strained to see clearly,

"Does she know the truth, the _full_ truth?" As she said this Harley tossed another photo onto the ground, it slid to a stop at Simon's knees- security footage of Simon wearing the crown. He had a man by the throat, smiling like a madman while encasing him in ice, "Does she know how very dangerous you are, Mr. Petrikov?"

"I'm not dangerous," Simon whimpered, clutching his head, "I'm… I'm a good man…"

"But when you wear the crown?"

"No," he shook his head as his nails dug into his scalp, "I'm not wearing it anymore… I… I promised Marcy…"

"What if Marcy was in danger?" Harley commented, tapping her clipboard hard with her pen, "What then, Simon?" She leaned forward in her chair, adding, "You will have to wear the crown again, Simon. Because war is not over and you have the power to assure our victory with that crown."

Simon bent over till his forehead touched the floor, his head suddenly pounding. He heard whispers, which was strange because he only heard them when the crown was…

"It's nearby," Simon shot up with saucers for eyes, looking around as if he'd just realized he'd been missing it, "The crown is close by… I can… I can feel it…"

"It is, Simon," she confirmed, "you see we're going to do some tests, some very important tests… but we need to know everything about the crown, about you to make this work."

"I won't help you…" Simon growled, his eyes sharpening, "It's not a weapon you can control."

"But we can control you," Harley smiled, "and you won't deny that, will you?"

'_Listen to her… threatening your little girl… wanting to rob you of your precious princess, your happiness… and me_', the crown's voice was a ghost in the back of his mind, his own anguish calling it to him, '_She wants to take me from you. She thinks she can order you around like a dog. You're a king, Simon!_ _Don't let that snobby puke talk to you like that!'_

Simon balled his fists, his face shifting. He ran at the woman, his hands clawed, slipping out of the guard's grip as they lunged for him. As he leapt at her the doctor froze; Simon's foot hit the back of her chair and knocked it over so that she was flat on her back and he was over her, using the shackles around his ankles to hold her down. On top of her Simon had his hands clasped around her throat, nails digging into her flesh, drawing blood. Snarling like a wild beast, he bared his pointed teeth and spoke venom,

"You think you can boss me around, peasant, but I am a king!" He screamed, "You threaten me and my family like you're invincible… but your bones will shatter just like everyone else's."

He whispered in a malicious hiss as tears began pouring down his face. Simon flailed as the guards pulled him off of the doctor. He instinctually turned his head and bit down on the first thing he could, which happened to be an arm. The guard screamed in anguish as the jagged teeth easily hit bone, even through his protective uniform. Doctor Harley scrambled away from the commotion, clutching her bleeding neck, fright induced tears running mascara. Simon roared as he was pushed down face first onto the floor, now sobbing and screaming nonsense about whispers and snow and princesses.

Marceline was trying to get to him. She knew that when Simon got like this, affection worked best to snap him out of it. Sometimes all she would have to do is hug him and he would go back to normal. But she couldn't reach him and began to cry herself as she watched one of the guards deliver a swift kick to his ribs to silence him. Bubblegum covered her mouth with her hand, not understanding this feeling in her chest. Was she scared or angry she didn't know, but these people… they were horrid, treating someone who obviously needed help with such disregard. She shut her eyes to keep from seeing the violence and eventually buried her face in her hands, trying not to be overwhelmed by Marceline's heartbroken sobs.

xxx

They locked the room down as the crown acted on its own, magic icing over every inch of the room. Behind protective glass, a group of observers stood with mouths agape. Their eyes were not on the crown, which had again become lifeless but on the corpse beside it, face stuck in pain and horror, skin seemingly frosted over. It was as if the crown itself was upset with them for letting another wear it. A well equipped team entered and nothing further happened. They collected the corpse and placed the crown in a small portable containment chamber. The room was boarded up on their way out, someone would go in and run tests later.

"General," An officer leaned over in the observation room to whisper, "This is the third time this has happened during this trial… I think it would be unwise to continue this experiment."

"Petrikov is able to use the object's abilities, surely there must be a way to…" He paused to think, when a science officer came up and interjected,

"Sir, permission to speak?" He asked, clutching his spiral notebook. When the general nodded, he smiled from ear to ear, "I've been running some numbers… it seems that humans just aren't built to withstand the immediate changes when using the abilities."

"Then why are you smiling?" the general snapped, "That isn't good news at all,"

"Petrikov seems to be an anomaly, sir," the man nodded, "He was able to survive the bonding process,"

"Bonding process?" The general questioned gruffly, "He really IS a freak…"

"The crown appears to actually bond with its host," the man explained, "Which would explain why he speaks to it. Also, it mutates the wearer on a genetic level. Here, see Petrikov's charts."

The folder he handed the general was labeled "Project Ice Man", but the general just smacked it against his hand and looked the scientist in the eye, "You're saying he really is the only one that can use it?"

"I… it's only my assumption based on the trials and the data… but yes," nervously, the scientist adjusted his glasses and then added, "But his mind is unstable… you witnessed his actions when he wore it last… It would be dangerous to…"

"Nonsense," The general intervened, "every animal can be tamed. If we want him to wear it, all we need to do is get the girl involved."

"But, sir…" The man tried to explain, gesturing openly with his hands, "His personality is amplified by the crown,"

"What does that jargon mean?"

"It means… that if we piss him off and he puts that thing on again he's going to blow this place up."

"Then when he puts it on, we just need to be sure of two things," The general looked the man straight in the eye as he spoke, "One, is that we make sure he's forced to direct his fire where we need it and two, we have what he wants… which we do. Both of them."

((Author's Notes: Can I say the beginning of this chapter is my favorite... sorry I know some of you were expecting, um... but I don't post that stuff XD The next chapter is a story milestone so It's going to be crazy! Please be sure to leave a review, feedback helps me make the story the best it can be

Also, my awesome editor Scuro-Valzer! She makes it awesome by editing for me!


	11. Trojan Horse

"Sir…" the private's voice quivered as he spoke, his hands tight on the clip board he held, "A-Are you sure about all of this? It seems a little risky?"

The general turned with a faint twinkle in his old, tactful eyes, "I know war son. I know when a man is broken," leaning over the table he tapped a picture of Simon with a smirk on his face, pushing it forward "This man is broken. It's time to rebuild him."

xxx

Simon's eyes opened, rusty, straining to see. He was in his room… cage… prison… whatever it was, on his cot. As he tried to move he gasped. As his mind processed the pain that shot through him, he moved to try and adjust but everything hurt. His body throbbing, every breath reminded him of the shape he was in. But how? When did any of this happen? Simon parted his lips, trying to figure out where the metallic taste had come from. It reminded him of the still familiar taste of blood, but he wasn't bleeding, or at least he didn't think so. Despite the soreness, Simon forced himself upright and tried to stand, hand bracing against the wall. He didn't realize they had drugged him again and he stumbled a few steps before collapsing against the wall. His body went mostly limp as he slid down with his back to the unforgiving surface. Panting, Simon looked around thinking something was wrong with him when his chest ached. It felt tight and he was having some trouble breathing.

In his plight, he felt the presence of another, the voice that often came to him when he was in trouble or pain. Though Simon didn't want to hear it, the company was admittedly better than the loneliness of silence. It helped him focus on something other than the odd weight on his chest,

'_My… look at you_,' that familiar voice echoed in his head, '_Do you see why we should have destroyed them when we had the chance…? Look at what they've done to you, my king,_'

"I don't care about myself…" Simon admitted before he knew what he was saying, "I wish they had killed me,"

'_Now, now,_' it cooed, _'We both know you don't mean that.'_

"Maybe I do want to die," Simon spoke quietly, a ghostly smile on his cracked lips, "Maybe I'd much rather take the easy way out…" his voice trailed off as a thought popped into his head, a reminder that such a thing, as wonderful as it would be, just couldn't happen…

'_I will never let you go._'

"You've proven that," the man sighed sadly, "besides, there's things I still need to do… Marceline… Betty… there has to be a way to get through to these people… make them listen to me"

'_Aren't you tired, Simon?_' he heard the voice ask. It sounded weak, like a wisp of air, '_Aren't you tired of putting faith in these people… that they will listen to you? That they will overlook their greed for your needs, your happiness?_'

"I don't see how you're any different from them…" he replied evenly, even as his split lip throbbed, "You want to own and puppeteer me as much as they do," he sighed, lolling his head to one side. Simon stared at the wall, listened to the voice in his head fade in and out of clarity,

'_I love you, my king_,' it cooed, sounding so far away, '_I want you to be happy. If the princess is truly what you desire I will give her to you__._'

"No…" Simon shook his head as much as he could through the throbbing, "Stay away from her. I love my princess, I don't want her to get hurt."

'_This place_,' the voice whispered darkly, '_This place is a dungeon… a terrible dungeon holding your precious princess hostage_,' Simon gripped his head through his matted hair, '_The next time we join we will free her..._'

"No!" Simon snapped, slamming his fists against his head, "Stop deluding my mind with your lies…"

'_Simon..._' It cooed lovingly, '_Would I lie to you, to my king? I love you Simon… I love you so much that I'm going to help you keep your princess… forever__._'

The voice was quieter now. Simon dug his fingers into his scalp, hoping the pain and pressure would force it out. It had been days since it had spoken to him, since the whispers had stopped. He whimpered as he would have gladly welcomed absolute silence to its venomous lies. But, the crown he reasoned was his only way out of this horrible place. And it wanted to help him rescue Betty. And if they escaped Marcy had to come with them. Simon could never leave his baby girl behind,

"…" Simon's shoulders began to tremble, "… And M-Marcy?"

'_Will that make you happy?_'

"Yes," he sobbed, his hand slipping to fall limply between his half sprawled legs

'_Then we freeze this place, this land…_' Simon shuddered at the darkness in the tone of the voice, his body recoiling inward, '_EVERYONE. We will start over, my king. A happy royal family… you, the princess, the child… and me._'

Simon's lips pulled to a ghostly grin. He thought about how nice it would be, to have the whole world to give to the girls. These thoughts swam about in his head until he realized that they weren't his thoughts at all… they were the crown's. Shaking his head Simon pulled at his hair and snapped, gritting his teeth,

"No! You wretched thing, stop corrupting my judgment!" he growled, "Look at where all your _help_ has gotten me," he gestured to the room as if the crown were there to see, "I… I got beat up and I have no idea what for!"

'_She deserved it_,' the crown lulled, trying to ease Simon's guilt and open his ears, '_That's all you need to know, my king._'

The voice was fading now and Simon was glad. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore it. Not long after his mind was clear of its voice, the juice from their previous bond used up, he occupied his thoughts with other things. Whatever happened before he was thrown in here he didn't remember, and that bothered him. His bruises hurt and it was uncomfortable. He wanted to see his Betty, but now… the longer he sat and concentrated, God, he remembered bits of things… like a woman screaming. Tired, Simon's weight slumped against the wall, his voice weakly muttering,

"W-what did I do? What am I going to do?"

xxx

Betty looked at her new badge, given to her in light of her promotion. All the research she'd been doing with Bubblegum had really helped them see how incredibly valuable she was. She could go anywhere now. And everything was already set in stone; she just needed to complete her quarterly physical. Looking over her shoulder, she caught Mertins approaching her table. Smiling warmly, Betty gestured for him to join her as she opened her packet of ramen. It wasn't until he was next to her that she noticed the solemn expression he so rarely wore. She discreetly slid her new badge into her pocket. Shifting in her seat, Betty looked up at her friend questioningly, her gut telling her he had something he wanted to tell her, but didn't want to start the conversation on a bad note,

"Everything… okay?" she tried cautiously, "You look… grumpy."

"Betty… I have to talk…"

"Do you need to sit down?" she asked him, a little concerned with how tightly his fists were balled, "You seem… distressed…"

"I just came from my shift, I have to talk to you," he repeated again,

"Oh… okay….," Betty worriedly replied, leaning forward and folding her hands under her chin, the longer-cut sleeves she wore riding up a bit on her upper arms, "Shoot."

He began to speak, but couldn't string the words together the way he wanted, not wanting to sound pushy or be disrespectful. As his words died on his tongue, Mertins caught the sight of something he didn't like, peeking out from under Betty's sleeve. He leaned above her, looking down as she nibbled on her dry ramen pasta. Betty looked up, her mouth to one side as she chewed. Her brow quirked at the concern she met.

"What's with the face?" she asked, shrugging her shoulders, "Did I grow a second head or something?"

As she went to take another bite he pointed her arm and hastily took a seat beside her, "Where'd those come from," He asked in all seriousness and Betty stilled at the determination in his eyes, "Be honest with me Betty, did…" leaning in close Mertins whispered, his voice somewhat harsh as he encouraged the truth out of her, "Did HE do that to you?"

Betty looked to where he pointed and the fading marks. Pink dusted her cheeks as she covered them and adjusted her sleeves. Mertins was looking at her so intensely that she had to look away. She tightened her grip, hurt and actually upset that Mertins was doing this, butting in, daring to accuse Simon of harming her on purpose. When she looked back at him she was defensive, protecting her character and Simon's.

"Stop doing that," shaking her head she snapped lightly, unable to help the stern tone to her voice, "Simon would never… he's a gentle man," narrowing her eyes she tugged her sleeve down further when he wouldn't stop looking at it, "It was an accident," Eyes cast down, expecting the conversation to be over, she tried to go back to eating but Mertins wouldn't let up with the look he was giving her, "I'm serious. He didn't. Do. It. On. PURPOSE."

"He still hurt you," Mertin's eyes briefly glanced at her lip and then back down to her arm. He reached out and tried to touch it, "Do they hurt…?" His head snapped up when Betty swatted his hand away, "What? Betty what's going on with you?"

"What's going on with _me_? Are you being serious right now?" she snapped, trying to keep her voice down, "This isn't the time to try and play hero," Betty paused to rub circles in her temple, then turned and gave her 'friend' the most disappointed stare she could muster, "I seriously can't believe you're even doing this right now!"

"Doing what?" he asked, setting his hand down on the table with some force, "Being concerned? You heard about what he did to Harley yet? I know she's a priss, but he bruised her up pretty bad for someone you claim is so non violent."

Betty stared him down, then blinked and stared down at her noodles, suddenly not feeling so hungry. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she tried to push those thoughts out of her mind. Her Simon wasn't like that, it was the crown. She closed her eyes and recalled how gentle he had been the other night. Mertins lightly shook her shoulder and she came back to the present, turning and looking him in the eye. Bottom lip quivering Betty choked back a sob as she spoke,

"Just drop it Mertins."

"Betty… I'm just concerned…"

"And I'm a grown woman!" she yelled, slamming her fists down on the table. Though she drew some unwanted attention, she jabbed her finger in his face as she stood, her expression sour, "Either help me or don't, but don't insert yourself in things you know nothing about or frankly are none of your business!"

"But…" he sighed, lowered his head and scratched the back of his neck, "Whatever, I'm just trying to do the right thing here," he shook his head despite the glare Betty gave him, "And I'm going to do what I think is right whether you like it or not."

"Well fine," she stood and stomped her foot, "So will I," Betty looked down at the ground then back at him, "But if they find out, Mertins if you tell them about us, you know they'll try and use me to hurt him… please don't tell them anything,"

"I wouldn't do that," he responded matter-of-factly, a bit insulted that she would even have to ask, "I care about you… a lot."

"I… I know you do," Betty rubbed her arm and rubbed the point of her toe into the floor, "This… this is a weird thing to ask given the circumstances… but I… I… you know I got promoted," looking up at him, a bit embarrassed to ask for a favor after he just explained his position on the matter, "I got a promotion…"

"Congratulations," he replied simply,

"Thank you. You see I need," she knew he already knew what she was going to ask, but he let her struggle through saying it, "I need a physical… could… um…"

"Yeah…" his eyes darted up her arm and then back to her blushing face, "You're right… it IS a weird thing to ask…" Mertins paused, then said what he knew he probably should have kept to himself, "but I suppose I wouldn't want to have to explain my monster love marks to a doctor either."

Betty gasped at the gall.

"You're being a jerk," she pouted,

"I'm still doing you yet another huge favor… I can be a bit of a jerk,"

"And I'm grateful," she sighed, covering her eyes with her hand, "Just… stop being so bitter about the whole thing…"

"I'm trying Betty… I'm really, _really_ trying…"

xxx

Her feet didn't touch the ground and so she swung her legs over the edge of the doctor's table, loosely covered with white wax paper. It was childish the way she did it and it made Mertins smile despite the situation. Betty was a wonderful woman, sweet and caring… he wondered what would have ever made her leave him in the first place? She was the type to give her whole heart to someone. At some point he did hurt her and she hurt him, Mertins knew that much. Maybe she was repenting for whatever happened before the war and that was why she was trying so hard to make things work between her and Simon. These were only his best guesses of course. She had never graced him with the full story.

He opened a drawer, briefly glancing over his shoulder. Pulling out a syringe, Mertins tested the needle and flicked it lightly. When he approached Betty she eyed it curiously, then let out a small squeak of a sneeze.

"What's that for?" Betty asked as Mertins stepped up beside her, "I've had all my shots."

"It's for the cold you somehow managed to catch," he told her, though there was something off in the way he said it, "I don't… want it spreading around."

When he grabbed her arm to steady it, it didn't feel like he was doing a simple task. Betty shut her eyes as he administered the shot and lightly tugged her arm when he reluctantly let go of her. She touched the spot where the needle went in and stuck her bottom lip out,

"So this is a flu shot?" she asked, "I thought those were locked up,"

"Just something to help you recover a little faster," he smiled and offered her his hand, "Don't worry, you probably won't even notice much of a difference,"

"Then what's the point?" Betty giggled,

"Are you the doctor here?"

"Please," she rolled her eyes as she gathered her things, "You're a nurse,"

"Head nurse," he laughed, leaning closer to her,

"Alright… well I gotta go," Betty headed for the door, "I should tell Simon about this, hopefully I can see him later…"

As she headed out the door Betty missed the way Mertin's smile died on his face.

xxx

Simon heard the slot on his door open and rolled onto his back. He didn't feel hungry, but maybe food would clear his head a bit and help him recover faster. It was the usual, freeze dried whatever-it-was and water. Simon crawled over to the door, his body still weak, and sat with his back to the door. There was ice in the water and Simon found himself coveting the glass's coolness in his hands. Lifting his glass, Simon brought it to his lips and took a sip- it tasted weird. He lowered the glass, sticking his tongue out to air it of the strange flavor. Despite this, Simon drank the entire glass, using the 'food' to make drinking it easier. Afterward he tilted the glass back and let the ice cubes slide into his mouth to chew on. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and shoved the empty tray back into the slot as he was often told to do. After lunch was brought to him Betty would sneak by for a visit. The guards wouldn't return till night watch. He made his way to the other side of the room and climbed up onto his cot. Eagerly Simon sat at the edge of his bed, watching the door.

It wasn't Betty to his surprise, who came to visit him. The scientist entered with a clipboard and a few guards, which put Simon on edge, his white, half lit eyes looking upon them in question. Why were _they_ here? Thankfully they caught Simon's distress and quickly set about putting him at ease

"Mr. Petrikov…" his daily acquaintance greeted with the usual blandness, "Good news, you're being moved,"

"Moved?" Simon questioned hesitantly, "Moved where? A cage? A small wooden box?"

"You have a way with words, sir," he rolled his eyes and gestured for the guards to enter further, "Be gentle with him, he's still under the drug's influences."

…

Simon was surprised to find that they lead him to a section of the facility he hadn't seen before. And he couldn't help but notice they passed right by the chemistry division. They lead him to a segment of rooms set aside for late work nights before the war. There were five rooms in all and in the middle of them was a small sitting area with benches and a fountain that tried its best to look homey. Of course the fountain looked like it hadn't run for some time, but still it was nicer than the box they'd kept him in. Looking around, Simon got the idea that this was also a break room of sorts at some point. They brought him to a room in the back. Simon was skeptically willing to believe them when they said the room was going to be his from now on and he would be able to walk around within the area. It wasn't big, maybe the size of an average backyard, but it was better than the cot and blank white wall he had become accustomed to.

Still… something seemed amiss…

But when Simon was about to open his mouth and spew a few questions, one of the doors opened and out scampered Marceline with a toothy grin on her face. She ran to him, into his open arms and hugged him like she hadn't seen him in a hundred years. Simon hugged her back just as hard, his face pressing into her messy head of ebony hair. He fell to his knees and kept his cheek against her forehead, tears pricking the corners of his eyes,

"Why?" his voice was strained as if he might cry, "Why are you doing this now?"

"The general will be by later to explain everything in detail," was the curt answer he received, "Lunch is on its way, in the meantime… enjoy."

The men left, leaving Simon and Marceline alone. Marceline wiggled out of his hold, grabbed Simon's hand and pulled him towards his door, "Simon, look at this! It's nice inside, look!"

"O-okay sweetheart," he chuckled, wiping his eye as she opened the door and yanked him inside, "My… it's decently sized…"

"It's like a hotel," she squealed as she let go of his hand to run and jump on the bed, "The beds are nicer than those old cots…"

"It's all very nice," Simon agreed, though there was reluctance to his voice, "But…"

"Simon!" Marceline squealed, "TV! There's a TV!"

Simon followed her finger and discovered that there was indeed a TV. Whether it worked or not was left to be answered, but it looked intact. He smiled and scooped her up into his arms; she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly,

"I missed you, Simon," her little voice whimpered, "I was so scared after they beat you up and took you away…"

"Oh, Marcy…" Simon felt terrible that he caused her extra grief worrying about him. Lightly brushing the bangs out of her eyes he offered an apologetic smile, "Forgive me, darling?"

"Always!" she responded feverishly, "I love you Simon," Marceline hugged him again, this time with all her strength and she squeezed the breath right out of him, "I wanted to kick them in the boingloins for hurting you!"

"It's okay dear," he responded softly, "It's okay…"

Simon heard the large automated door open outside. Setting Marceline down, he walked outside and found two men with covered trays. They set them on the fountain, removed the lids and walked away. Simon and Marcy looked at each other and curiously ventured over to the offering. It smelt like actual food. Though Marceline wanted to 'dig in', Simon reminded her that manners were important and the two of them sat side by side on one of the benches, the trays on their laps. Simon picked up his fork, happy for the old feeling of normalcy this was giving him. He wondered if there was a particular reason they served him fish, but didn't complain at all as he ate, savoring the texture and flavor of actual food. Marceline ate her meal happily, making little noises as she enjoyed one of her favorite foods from after the war. Fish as often the only thing they could find other than canned beans and as a growing girl and half demon, Marceline preferred meat to canned goods.

Simon sipped his water and grimaced. He looked over at Marceline who seemed to be having no trouble with her drink, "Marcy… does your water taste weird?" he asked,

"No, it's fine," she responded with a quirked head, "Does yours taste funny?"

"A little," he admitted with a sigh, "But who knows… maybe it's just me."

…

"This is sooooo good!" Marceline gasped as she sucked on the little fish bones, "Sooooo good…"

"It's nice, isn't it?" Simon chuckled as he reached over to ruffle her hair, "Nothing like a decent meal,"

"Yeah!" she cheered, rubbing her stomach "Tummy's full!"

"I'm glad," Simon smiled tenderly as he scooped her into his arms. She instinctually wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled into his chest, "Let's explore a bit, shall we?"

"Okay!"

The sound of the door opening turned Simon on his heel. It opened to reveal the general. He stood at attention and walked in stiffly. Simon set Marceline down and held her shoulder, fearing that she might do something brash. He leaned down and instructed her to go into his room and wait for him, which she did reluctantly after hugging his leg.

xxx

"Mr. Petrikov," the general greeted tersely,

"General," Simon nodded with a bit more courtesy, "To what do I owe the pleasure…" he wanted to ask about the room, but was afraid of his peace being short-lived and fell silent,

"We've attempted to bond the crown with several individuals, several different ways," the old veteran got straight to business, making eye contact with Simon as he explained the situation as it were, "Those men, those fine men are all dead."

"I tried to warn you," Simon shook his head and took a seat on the bench, "The crown is alive… you can't make it do what you want, it's… finicky."

"To some extent _you_ can, Simon."

"I…" Simon shook his head again and placed his face in his hands, his nose poking through his fingers, "I can't… the crown…" he wanted to say that it was eating away at his sanity, but he didn't want to say it aloud, hoping he could delude himself and others that what was blatantly obvious wasn't the truth, "As I've said before… I can't help you."

"Mr. Petrikov, there will be a time when a cure may be found, but right now we're in the middle of a war. If the human race is to survive we need you, son."

"You're saying you can cure me?" Simon asked hopefully,

"If you help us, I'm saying we're going to try."

((Author's Notes: Two choices and both sound pretty good at this point... but Simon, think carefully! Again, edited by Scuro-Valzer! You rock girl! And everybody be sure to R&R, this chapter marks a turning point in the storyline so feel free to send your thoughts on the matter))


	12. The Two Lovers

"May I have something sweet?"

"Don't you want any real food?" Betty asked softly as she offered the child a few of her desktop sweets, "It can't be good for a growing girl to eat so much candy."

"Perhaps for a normal child…" Bubblegum's response died on her tongue a bit as she thought about what she was saying as she said it, "Never mind, thank you Betty," she quietly said as she popped one of the hard candies in her mouth, her cheek puffing up as she did so, "This is delicious… what is it?"

"Peppermint," Betty smiled as she enjoyed a piece for herself, "Now, lucky for you sweetie, you're made of gum else you'd be in medical," she patted the child on the head as she passed by her with a bounce to her step, "and they don't give people candy."

"You're a very nice lady,"

"Why thank you," Betty chirped as she slid her clipboard off the counter, "aren't you the sweetest thing?"

Pulling a chair closer to her little friend, Betty made herself comfortable. Resting her clipboard on her lap she tapped the end of her ballpoint pen on the tip of her tongue and then wrote a few things down. Bubblegum quirked her head as Betty worked, observing with curiosity. She examined the expression on Betty's face as she wrote, so focused on the way she was putting her thoughts to paper. The child did her best to match it and shifted her posture. She swallowed her candy and her hair dropped a bit, bangs resembling Betty's with a quick shake of her head. Noticing the movement Betty looked up but did not catch the change right away. She looked down at her clipboard and began to write, then something clicked and she looked back at Bubblegum with a queered expression,

"You… changed your hair?" subconsciously Betty reached up and ruffled her own bangs, pulled them to the side and behind her ear, "It's… nice."

"Thank you," Bubblegum smiled, her eyes twinkling, "that means a lot,"

"Yes…" Betty looked down at her clipboard and then back up at Bubblegum, meeting her eyes instantly, "So… your shape shifting abilities. Are they limited to people?"

"As far as I know I can assume whatever form I can mold myself into," Bubblegum responded casually, leaving out the most important part- the how, "It's pretty simple."

"Does it hurt you to change shape?" Betty asked and Bubblegum shook her head. Every time Betty looked up the girl was staring at her, fixated and after awhile it began to unnerve her slightly, "Are you okay? Can I get you anything else to make you comfortable?"

"May I have some more sweets," was all she asked with her hands folded in her lap,

"Can I ask you another question," Betty asked as she leaned and hovered the bag over the girl's hands, noticing the way in which her fingers twitched. How she wanted to grab them, but she held back, "You're growing… but how?"

"Please Betty," Bubblegum pleaded quietly, "May I have some more?"

"Have has many as you'd like."

Bubblegum clutched the bag, coveted it as it was dropped into her hands. This wasn't nearly enough for what she wanted, not at all. But every little bit helps. She put a few in her mouth and chewed them like tic-tac's. Betty's glasses slipped down her nose and she gingerly pushed them back up as she watched Bubblegum as politely as possible scarf down her mints. When the bag was empty she looked back up at Betty and in her face one could see more definition, as if she had somehow aged. Bubblegum leaned forward with sparkles in her eyes, reached out and grabbed onto Betty's skirt,

"You're very pretty," she said with an admiring smile, "I'd love to grow up and look just like you."

"W-why thank you, dear," Betty stuttered, flattered but a bit overwhelmed, "you know I'm sure you can be whatever you want to be," leaning closer, Betty softened her tone, spoke kindly, motherly and Bubblegum dissected every inflection, "what _do_ you want to be?"

"I want to be a princess."

"Oh," Betty covered her mouth, but felt bad when Bubblegum narrowed her eyes, "I'm sorry… you're just so adorable."

"Let me clarify," Bubblegum nodded her head and squeezed Betty's skirt a bit tighter, "I want to be a princess like you, Betty…"

"Wha… excuse me?" Betty laughed, adjusting her glasses and looking around, "That's awfully sweet of you but,"

Bubblegum was quick to cut her off, "Simon talks about a princess," she mused, "you're the princess he talks about aren't you?"

"I'm…"

"Marceline didn't mean to," Bubblegum mused, looking away briefly, "she told me what Simon's princess looked like, what she acted like… in so many words of course."

It was somewhat frightening to hear the aged inflection coming from the child's mouth. Betty could hear the envy in her voice. Bubblegum released her skirt and leaned back when she saw Betty's eyes fill with confusion and worry. No, Bubblegum was not a princess, Betty wasn't a princess and yet… she supposed what else did this creation have to look forward to? Setting a hand atop her head Betty sighed with a tired smile,

"I think…" Bubblegum's eyes slowly opened wide and shone as her idol gave her a caring smile, "You would make a wonderful princess."

xxx

After work, Betty lingered in the lab, pretending to go over her data. She caught Jessica grumbling in the distance and noisily grabbing her things. The blonde stomped off, sent a quick "good night" Betty's way before she vanished. Betty waited a few minutes longer, shuffling her papers, pretending to organize them. Today was this sector's mandatory shut down time. Shut down time preserved energy. It also meant no cameras.

Gathering her things, she watched the clock. As soon as the hour changed, everything started shutting down. Grabbing a flashlight, Betty safely made it out of the lab. The hallway was empty and silent, like a back alley. Usually when a sector was scheduled to be shut down, they turned into ghost towns. The lights were turning off and she knew she had to be quick, so she ran to the old recreational room and slid her key. Doors shut automatically when the power was cut and it wasn't even a quarter of the way open when she squeezed through. Falling to the floor, she caught her breath as the door slammed shut and locked. To her surprise the lights in the enclosure dimmed but did not shut off completely. Gathering herself, Betty stood and looked around. Where were those two?

"Simon?" Betty called, walking to the fountain, "Marceline?"

It was dead silent. Betty didn't catch any noise till two voices, directly behind her screamed in unison, "BOO!"

"AHHH!" she yelped, stumbling away from them, clutching at her chest, "You two, little rascals!" lunging forward she playfully batted at Simon, who laughed and started to run, "Get back here!"

"Gotta catch us!" Marceline quipped as she jumped and ran around the ring of the fountain to escape Betty, "Can't get me! Can't get me!"

Betty laughed as she chased after the girl, hands reaching out when she suspected she was close enough, but at the last moment Marceline would leap out of the way. Simon kept his distance, preferred to -for once- be the spectator. After a miscalculation, Betty finally did catch Marcy and scooped her up off the ground. They laughed as she spun her around a few times and then dizzily set her down. Marceline didn't let go of Betty and begged her to do it one more time. It warmed Simon's heart to see his girls getting along so well. Leaning against one of the benches, he ran his hand through his hair and let out a soothing breath. Laughter filled the enclosure.

Marceline giggled as she walked around, a little off balance from their game. Shaking her head, she caught sight of Simon and ran towards him with her arms outstretched. Simon braced himself for impact as the demon child leapt into the air and her chest collided with his as she wrapped her limbs around him and squeezed tightly,

"Come play with us Simon," she begged, rubbing her face into his shirt, "you can both swing me!"

"Both of us?" he asked softly, "And how?"

"I'll show you!" she shouted, laughing as she dropped to her feet and pulled him to Betty, "You hold my hand like this," she held his hand tightly and then reached over and grabbed Betty's, "and you hold my hand like this. I won't hold it hard, I promise," Marceline said with a toothy smile and she began jumping up and down, "Now you swing me!"

"Oh," Simon caught on at last as he swung his arm and Betty did her best to follow suit, "Like this?"

"Yeah- hahaha!" Marceline laughed joyfully as the two of them swung and lifted her off the ground, "It's like I'm flying!"

"How fun," Betty commented softly, "my parents used to play this with me… when I was very small," the last bit was added with a hard breath.

Marceline was seven going on eight.

"Sweetie…" Simon huffed, starting to feel a bit winded himself, "How about we play another game? Betty's getting tired."

"_I'm_ getting tired?" she laughed with a short breath, "HA!"

"Yeah… you got those little delicate lady arms…" he released Marceline's hand to wipe his brow, "Woah momma, it's hot in here…"

"No it's not," Marceline argued before she ran off to do some cartwheels.

Betty shrugged her shoulders, slowly dipping her head down into her collar as a smile spread across her face. Simon rolled his eyes, braced his lower back and straightened it, hoping Betty didn't hear the bone cracking pop that came from him. Her giggle crushed his hopes. Man did he look and feel old. The past week he'd felt better of course but at times his energy would simply go away. Maybe it was the crown's absence. He didn't want to dwell on it.

Simon walked over to a bench and sat, patting the seat to encourage his beautiful guest to join him. She did so with a curved smile. Relaxing a bit they watched Marceline play. Simon's white eyes shifted over to his companion, catching her features from where he sat, he noted that she looked beautiful from every angle. Lifting his arms, he put them on the back end of the bench. His index and middle finger acted like little legs as he walked them across behind her and onto her shoulder. Betty blushed and smiled as he gently cupped her shoulder and softly pulled her closer. She tilted her head and rested it on his shoulder, closing her eyes.

Cold was seeping through his clothing but it was nice. After all that running and lifting, Betty had to admit that she was a bit winded as well. In her head of course, not out loud. She put her hand on Simon's knee and gave it a loving squeeze. He squeaked a bit and it made her chuckle, that he'd sill act so abashed. Turning her head to the side she kissed his cheek and sure she felt it grow warm,

"EEEWWWW!" Marceline stuck her tongue out as she ran past them, "Get a room!"

"Heh," Simon breathed, his eyes twinkling a bit, "I've got one."

Betty laughed and pushed him away as he wiggled his eyebrows, Simon's strange cue that he was being flirty, "Oh you do?" laughing, Betty staved off his attempt to lean forward and kiss her, "Simon, stop," her laugh grew louder as he began tickling her,

"C'mon princess," he joked with a laugh, "Lemme kidnap you and bring you to my castle," lifting her hand he kissed it in what Betty considered a charming fashion, "And we can get married…" his lips lingered on the back of her hand,

"EW!" Marceline ran by, this time on one foot, "Gross!"

"Yeah," Betty said coolly, egging on her fiancée, "gross right?"

"So gross," Simon sighed, elated, smelling her hand again, "So… so very, very gross."

Turning her head slightly, Betty couldn't help but quirk her brow. She laughed as he gave her hand another quick kiss and let it go,

"Gross!"

"So gross," he said in response, eyes half lit as his teeth grazed his bottom lip,

"Simon?" Betty chuckled, "You okay?"

"Hey you uh, want the tour?"

"OH!" Marceline came running and jumped up on the bench, "Good idea!" as she tried to sit in his lap. Simon quickly grabbed her under her arms and gave her to Betty, "Heh, how about a little girl time…? I, uh… need to clean my room before she sees it."

"Okay," Marceline grabbed Betty's hand and pulled her to the mini room that was hers. They all looked the same of course, but that particular one was _hers_, "I'll show you mine and then we can go see Simon's room!"

"Sure, sweetie," Betty smiled and followed Marceline inside.

It wasn't too long after, they came and saw Simon's room, which didn't look any cleaner to Marceline.

"Marcy," Simon knelt to be eye level with her, "Betty and me are going to watch a movie,"

"A monster movie?" she asked, excited,

"No… not a monster movie," Simon shook his head and when he was about to tell her the answer she cut him off,

"An action movie? With _explosions_?"

"A romantic movie," he said with a serious face, "and two people fall in love and they hug and kiss and junk,"

"EW! Is there a lot of kissing?"

"Like half the movie is kissing," he lied with a huge grin,

"Bleck! Gross!" she stuck her tongue out and began to leave, "I'm gonna play outside. Get me when the gross movie is over okay?"

"Of course!" Simon confirmed, "As soon as the credits roll."

"Not a second sooner!" she blurted from the front of the compartment before running off.

Simon watched the door close. He turned to Betty with a mischievous grin, his pointed teeth popping out from under his lips. Betty smiled, but put her hands up when he ran at her. She took a sharp turn and avoided him, laughing at his little game but still feeling the urge to maintain some level of control over the situation. She let him catch and twirl her in a makeshift ballroom dance, his eyes staring into her own so lovingly,

"Dancing?" Betty whispered, kissing his cheek, "How sweet."

Betty rested her head on his shoulder as they slowed to rocking back and forth. Simon slid his hand round her waist, her mid back and pulled her closer, wanting to feel her warmth. They were silent for a good while, just dancing there in the dim lighting. But then, Betty's watch started beeping and she pulled away. It was nearly time for them to turn the power back on- nearly time for her to go,

"Power will be restored soon," she told him, "I have to get ready to go."

"Not yet," Simon pleaded, trying to get her to dance with him some more, "please not yet," he leaned into her shoulder and inhaled her scent, taking slow deep breaths, "I had the worst day yesterday."

"I know sweetheart, and when we have some more time… I want to talk about it?" She waited for his quiet nod before continuing, "But… I have to go."

"What if I don't let you go?" he joked, scooting back and forth to block her escape, "What are you going to do then?"

"Oh, stop it you," she managed to get past him but turned on her heel when he gave her a pinch, "Mr. Petrikov!"

Jumping and batting at his chest she laughed in disbelief and good fun. Simon grabbed her wrists and kissed her. When he pulled away he was grinning,

"Aw come on… you liked it," he laughed, trying to reach round her, "One more time," as she wiggled away, unable to stop laughing he blurted out, "I'm rather cheeky today aren't I?"

"Not the puns! Simon!" Betty squealed as she dashed to the corner of the room, "Besides, someone will hear us if we keep making all this racket!"

"Marceline's the only one here," he chuckled, eyes focused on her as she backed into the corner, "and she thinks we're watching a kissy movie," his bushy white eyebrows danced suggestively as he put his arms on either side of her, "c'mon, don't tease me,"

"Some nerve," she giggled, ducking under his arm and running toward the other side of the room, "I'm trying to leave before we get caught!"

"No," he grabbed and spun her around, into a dancing pose and tiptoed around with her a bit before he kissed her, "Stay… forever maybe. I'll hide you under the bed."

"Simon…"

"Please?" his voice was so childish and lively, it was a big change compared to the last time they met. Betty wasn't going to complain, "Princess," he purred as he flopped onto the edge of the bed, "stay for at least a little while longer?"

"I…" she knew she was already pushing her luck but how could she say no to that pleading little face of his? "Ten minutes tops."

"Oh no," he shook his head, "I need you for longer than that."

"Need me for _what_?" rolling her eyes Betty turned and attempted to walk off.

Simon pulled her back into his lap playfully, wrapping his arms around her, digging his face into her shoulder, smelling her. Her scent was enchanting at the moment and he couldn't really explain why. Planting light little kisses on her neck he smiled, enjoying her wiggle in his arms and the press of her back to his chest, the thought of leaving him far from her mind. Betty reached around and grabbed one of his hands and squeezed it gently in tandem to a light chuckle,

"Mr. Petrikov," she wisped impishly, "are you trying to seduce me?"

"I'm sorry," he whispered into her neck, "you just… you smell so _good…_"

"Simon," she mewled, blushing, "you flatterer."

"You're so beautiful," his sweet voice whispered, hand sliding from her hip to her drawn stomach, "just like a real princess," he breathed, kissing her shoulder cherishingly, "God… why do you smell so…? Ah, you're driving me crazy!" Simon growled as he pulled her closer,

"I dunno," Betty giggled with flushed cheeks, biting lightly on her lower lip as she felt his chest vibrate against her back. It sounded similar to purring and she briefly closed her eyes to listen before his hand startled her, "Simon!" she gasped as his fingers lightly played with her pants button, "Marceline's right outside!"

"… please?" he asked, kissing behind her ear, "Honey, you're so lovely and you smell so sweet… and I… I need you to… I-" Simon pressed his forehead against her warm back and took a moment to breath, "I- I'm sorry princess… I just… I don't know what's come over me…"

"Don't apologize," she whispered, lightly placing her hand over his, lifting it to kiss gently, "You don't have to apologize… It's very sweet."

Betty turned her head and kissed him. Simon kissed her back passionately, a light moan slipping into her mouth. There was too much going on in his head, his life, to ignore this ache. She let his hand slip through her fingers and it roamed south as she dipped hers behind his head into his mass of hair. He unbuttoned her pants and trailed kisses down her open neck, enjoying the little gasps that left her lips and the way her body shuddered, even if part of the reason was because his lips were cold,

"I love you," he whispered.

He pulled her back with him onto the bed and they giggled and snuggled and kissed till they were tangled in the sheets. For all that had happened, and all that was to come, in that moment they felt like they had gone back in time. Simon sat up, the grin on his face a youthful one as he pulled his hair behind his pointed ears. Betty looked up at him with a gleeful grin, her red hair splayed behind her head, framing her pale face. She grabbed his hands and played with them, but when she motioned to speak he reached out and placed his finger on her lips,

"Just stay," he asked softly as he nuzzled against her, "Lay with me for awhile? Please."

"Okay Hun," Betty made herself comfortable and closed her eyes, "Just… for a minute. I had a long day at work though, don't let me fall asleep."

"I'll try," he whispered, kissing her hair. "It's awfully tempting to just let you sleep and keep you."

"Hunny," she breathed, her voice slurring slightly as his long nails combed her hair out of her face, "I'm serious,"

"Hello Serious, I'm Simon,"

"Terrible," she chuckled, burying her face in the pillow with a laugh, "Just… just terrible!"

((**Author's Note:** I hope you guys enjoyed Bubblegum's creepy admiration of Betty as much as you did Simon's fluffy escapades with Betty. It was nice to write the three of them just spending time together too, those adorable cuties.

And props to my editor: Scuro-Valzer))


	13. Low Blow

Bubblegum's latest evaluation left the staff concerned. She was extremely intelligent, had a natural talent for science and math, but there were some red flags going up. For all her logic, some theorized that she had difficulty in social aspects of living. This for obvious reasons was a bad combination, they wanted her to humanize beyond envious imitations. Social interaction was the final solution, so instead of remaining in the small containment chamber in the lab, she would be moved somewhere she could interact more frequently with others. Simon and Marcy's new living arrangement had its own kind of lore, as the room where nobody would ever willingly enter.

And for Bubblegum, that was where she wanted to be. Sitting in her new room she looked around, finding it simple but more comfortable than her previous quarters. She walked daintily over to the window and looked outside. Marceline, her first friend, was playing in the grass with Simon. It appeared to be a game of tag and looked genuinely fun if not… trivial. Too simple a game for her tastes, but the company would be nice. Turning around Bubblegum caught herself in the mirror and clutched her uniform. It was demeaning to wear a patient's uniform as if she were a prisoner. Then again, she was a prisoner… wasn't she? The only thing this place brought her was confirmation that the human race would not survive the war. Smiling, she knew that her company would and the resources left behind would give her more than enough material to build a life, one without all this hatred and fear.

Reaching up, she adjusted her hair, pulling her bangs to one side and yanking the ends down to fall just below her shoulders. Sighing, she walked over to her dresser and opened the middle drawer. Removing the back piece she uncovered the candy Betty had been giving her and some she hadn't. Stealing was wrong, Bubblegum knew that, but she needed it. This body was a deterrent, useless. As much fun as it was to play and talk with Marcy, the days were counting down and she needed to be more capable. Reaching in she grabbed two handfuls of candy and devoured them, licking her hands afterward. A warm feeling filled her as for a moment her entire body felt like a pulled muscle. Closing everything tightly, she walked back over to the mirror and admired her face that was slowly losing the babyish roundness it had just a week ago.

Lifting her leg she noticed that her pants looked a little short. Good thing for her, the facility did not have any children uniforms. All she had to do was roll her pants down a bit. Before she was more careful about aging herself because she didn't want them to catch on too quickly and stop her. But the fools were fascinated. She still had to be careful despite this, as she herself discovered that her mind was affected by the age of her body. Aging too quickly would likely cause a backlash as emotions and dare she admit, hormones, went through their cycles. Her mind was already far superior to most and she had plans that didn't need to be messed up by obstacles as silly as teenage nonsense.

And yet she couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of friendship and that bubbly sensation in her stomach as she grew older day by day. Outside she found her friend and her friend's father. Simon had Marceline over his shoulder, spinning around and laughing, looking so happy. He stopped when he noticed her in the doorway and waved. She smiled.

"Why hello there," he greeted with a joyous grin, chuckling "Marceline look, it's our new guest. Come to play with us milady?"

"Yeah, Bubs," Marceline cheered and nearly flailed out of Simon's grasp, "play with us!"

"I…" she smiled and asked, "What are we playing?"

"We were playing cops and robbers," Marceline's smile spread from ear to ear, "I stole a truck of juice boxes! Simon's trying to put me in jail, save me!"

"But…" Bubblegum quirked her head, not really understanding the concept, "If you stole something, shouldn't you go to jail?"

"It's just pretend," Simon whispered, giving Bubblegum a wink, "you won't get in trouble in a game of pretend."

"Pretend?" she tapped her bottom lip and then something clicked, "It's just a game, so it's fine?"

"Yeah," Marceline answered, "It's just pretend! Now save me! Save me!"

Simon laughed and began to run off with Marceline in tow. Bubblegum stood where she was for a moment, not entirely sure how she was supposed to play this pretend game. She decided pursuing them was perhaps the best way to begin. Not wanting to run around forever, Simon slowed down so Bubblegum could catch up with him. It wasn't long till she was at his heels, reaching out and trying to grab Marcy's ankle. Running after Simon and Marcy, Bubblegum felt something new, something fuzzy. This was what it was like to be part of a group, to have actual friends?

When she grabbed Marceline's ankle, Bubblegum laughed, caught in the moment. Simon took a sharp turn, thinking she had a good enough grip, but the action caught her by surprise. Bubblegum held on at first, but as her feet lifted off the ground she released Marcy and went tumbling along the cement. Simon skidded to a stop instantly and turned around. Lifting Marceline off his shoulders he set her down and the two of them ran to Bubblegum together. He motioned for Marceline not to crowd her; afraid too much fuss might scare the girl into crying.

"Are you okay sweetheart?" he asked, kneeling down beside her head, "I'm sorry, I hope you didn't get hurt!"

Bubblegum lifted herself, revealing that some bits of gravel were stuck in her face, "I- I'm fine," she didn't sound okay at all as she plucked the first piece out of her cheek, "my grip just slipped…"

"At times our games get a little out of hand. Half demon children have a lot of energy," Simon explained, feeling bad as he watched the child sit back on her legs with watery eyes, "I think we forgot we have a princess in our company now. Perhaps we should play something else?"

Bubblegum looked up at him, her lips pressed together. Marceline ran to her side, grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. She hugged her friend and added with a chuckle,

"What do you want to play?" dusting her clothes off, Marceline added "We know lots of games, right Simon?"

"We sure do," he commented, jutting his thumb into his puffed out chest, "so you name it, what would you like to play?"

"It's okay…" Bubblegum let the pebbles fall, touched her face and then looked rather sad. She looked down at the ground and clutched her attire, digging her fingers into it, "Actually, I'm not feeling well…"

"Oh," Simon mused, standing and rubbing the back of his neck, "Well… if you're not feeling well then maybe you should get some rest," he leaned down and touched her forehead, not sure if a child made of bubblegum could run a temperature, "You… feel like gum usually feels… I guess."

"Simon always makes me sleep when I don't feel well," Marceline commented, "maybe you should take a nap."

"Actually, a nap might be a good idea," Simon nodded and took the initiative as his role as the only adult in the room, "you feel tired at all?"

"I… I suppose I could go lie down," Bubblegum let go of her dress and offered them a smile, "Don't worry… I apologize for ruining the fun."

"Nonsense," Simon exclaimed, tussling her gummy hair, "you rest up and feel better kiddo."

Bubblegum didn't reply. She went back into her room, closed and locked the door and remained there. Simon and Marcy weren't quite sure what was going on with her, but they gave her time to adjust. It was difficult being in the position they were all in, but Simon understood how much more difficult it became when no one saw you as human. Such prejudice must be confusing for a little girl.

xxx

The chemistry division was rather slow at the moment. Betty spun in her chair, waiting for her results to return from the lab. Usually, if she hadn't a thing to do she could at least chat with Bubblegum, but now she had been moved to the enclosure. Closing her eyes, Betty's thoughts wandered to Simon. His sweet smile, which was still present, just accompanied by pointed teeth. Grabbing and fiddling with her hair Betty sighed, her cheeks flushing as she thought about the way he kissed her goodbye the other night. When her chair appeared caught, Betty's eyes popped open,

"I know that smile," Mertins' tone was flat as he looked down,

"Don't," Betty shut her eyes, her brows pinching together in irritation. When he said nothing but kept staring, she let out a harsh sigh, "What do you want?"

Mertins spun the chair and grabbed the armrests. Betty scoffed, leaning away from his narrowed gaze. She pulled her hands back from the armrest and gave her coworker a very displeased scowl,

"Betty we need to talk," his tone was quiet but hard, "we need to talk right now."

"I'm not talking to you," she snapped, trying to push him away, "Hey! What are you doing?"

"Just listen," he closed his eyes and took a breath, "Please, Betty… _please_ listen to me."

"Fine…" Betty shook her head, pushing him back, "Back off a little, give me some space and I'll listen to you," she waited for him to stand up and then folded her arms, an open invitation for him to begin talking.

"Betty… I can't believe you're going in there," he kept his voice to a harsh whisper while trying to keep his physical gestures contained, "I just can't believe you would put yourself in danger like that!"

"He's not dangerous," Betty shook her head, "you don't understand."

"_You don't understand_," Mertins jabbed his finger at her, glaring, "he's not the only one you have to worry about," he reached into his pocket, pulled out a photo and handed it to her with persistence, "I wasn't supposed to tell you anything… but Betty you need to stay away from Simon."

As Mertins said this Betty looked down at the photo and her jaw dropped. Her mind raced to comprehend the image; the camera, which looked to be in the corner of Simon's new room caught what was a sensual moment between the two of them- Simon lifting her shirt, kissing her as she laced her arms around his neck. Furious, face burning, Betty nearly tore the photo in half. What good did that do when she was certain there were more… how many more though? The thought made her sick. Uncontrollable emotions flowed through her and she stood to strike him. His face snapped to one side. Bringing his hand up Mertins touched his cheek. He looked at her, saw the pain in her eyes, the angry tears burning. His heart sank having to tell her, but she had to know that this fairytale delusion she was living in wasn't going to have a fairytale ending. He couldn't hide his guilt for breaking the news. When he tried to explain, his voice was shaken,

"Betty…"

"How'd you get this?"

"Betty," he tried to put his hand on her shoulder, but she slapped it frantically, "Stop making a scene… J-just listen!"

"You knew about this?" she snapped, pushing him, "Didn't you?" when Mertins adverted his eyes guiltily she stomped her foot and slapped him again, "Y-You… you _bastard!_"

Turning on her heel, Betty stormed off. She strode out into the hallway, glancing through her tears at the enclosure before bee-lining for the bathroom. Inside, she locked a stall and leaned against the door. Hitching her breath, she tried to calm down, but found her chest was burning. Falling to her knees she scrambled to open the toilet and spew her rising, sour bile. Head hanging limply over the toilet Betty choked on her sobs. She slammed the seat down and crawled on top and sobbed into her hands. The main door opened and she heard heavy footsteps walk over to her stall. Soft knocking coaxed her to look up and when she did so, noticed the familiar white sneakers peeking out from the other side of the stall door,

"Get out of here!" Betty cried, "Please… just go away…"

"Betty…" his voice was soft as he tried to coax her out, "I'm not leaving till you listen to me."

"I'm not opening the door," she replied after a short pause, "say whatever you want to say and leave me alone…"

The door creaked and she was certain he was leaning on it, "I didn't know about the pictures… I found them and…"

"You told them about us?" she sobbed, "Is that how they found out?"

"Actually they watched his tapes and read his journal," Mertins crossed his arms, his side leaning against the stall, "I… I told them about your… um, visits?"

The door flew open as Betty, fueled by rage kicked it open. Mertins' head flew back as he scrambled to catch his footing. She stormed out, hormones raging as she took a swing. He ducked and she swung again, screaming, cursing, furiously frustrated till she got too sloppy. Mertins caught her hand and held on tight as she yanked with all her might to get it free,

"Get your hands off of me Mertins!" she screamed, tears streaming hot down her face, "You're supposed to be my friend!"

"I am your friend!" he screamed, his voice echoing like a pillar that suddenly grounded her, "I… I love you, Betty. I don't want to see you get hurt. Even if you don't see it, he's dangerous. When that crown's on his head he turns into a maniac… a-and all he talks about is freezing everything and getting to YOU." Shoulders trembling he threw her hand away and wiped his eyes as they burned, "Heaven knows what he'd do to you if he actually got his hands on you…"

"Simon would never hurt me," Betty's voice was timid as she shook her head, "He loves me."

"Betty… when he wears the crown he's not Simon anymore."

Betty clutched her shirt, shut her eyes and shook her head. She didn't want to believe him, her Simon was too gentle, too kind to harm her. Mertins hesitantly reached out and put his hand on her shoulder. When she leaned into him he smiled and embraced her. It was comforting to have someone warm hold her for a moment,

"I love him…" she whispered, "Why did you tell them?"

"I just did what I thought was right, Betty," he hesitantly stroked her hair with a bitter smile, "I didn't know they were going to do that… the pictures…"

"Who else knows?"

"They're keeping it locked down," Mertins assured her, "only a handful of people know."

"But why?" she questioned, separating herself from him, "They should have wanted to _stop_ me from seeing him, but instead they made it easier… what's the point?"

Mertins closed his eyes to hide the pain, "Betty… there's something else I have to tell you…"

xxx

"Sir, Mr. Petrikov is on his way here," the private informed with a respectful salute, "He should be here shortly."

"Good," the general nodded, "Very good. At ease soldier."

"Thank you sir," the young man smiled and relaxed,

"Make sure everything's ready for our little friend," he smirked as he gestured to the room, "he should be more agreeable, having been pampered these past weeks with treats… of all flavors, might I add boys," he snickered grittily and everyone joined him in a laugh,

"Flavors, sir?" the private felt a little left out on the joke as he saw his superior officers snickering,

"Never mind, lad," his leathery face wrinkled as he smiled, and the expression looked unnatural on his face, "hop to your duties and let the grownups talk."

Nervously, the private saluted and left. As the door closed, the general's second in command, a broad man with a scar, stepped up and placed his hat on the table beside a manilla folder with photos peeking out at the corners. The general laughed as he took a seat and grabbed his chilled glass of brandy to sip. It was aged well and strong, even for him. As his throat burned, he roughly set the glass back down on the table. Rubbing his chin, he looked up at his second in command and chuckled,

"He's going to agree, Richards," his gruff voice remarked as he straightened his jacket, "And even if he doesn't, we still have the crown," Leaning back he grinned, "but he won't deny the offer… he's too sentimental. Everything's coming together nicely."

"We still have one loose end," Richards spoke less formally than one would imagine, but then again, his father often gave him a little slack, "Some of the data was missing from the folder," a pause and then he commented, "I'm pretty we know where it went."

"That boy," the general scoffed, "thinks he's some kind of hero… "

"Should we get rid of him sir?"

"No," waving his hand the general picked the folder off the table and set it in his lap, "he's harmless."

xxx

Simon noticed that the room was cold when he entered. It was a contained environment, currently housing seven other people besides himself. There was a chair directly across from the general and he was guided to it. Simon stood, unsure of what they wanted and then to his surprise the sour faced old general gestured for him to sit. Knowing better than to deny such a civil request, Simon complied. His ankles and wrists were still shackled together and amongst the men in uniform, he felt like some sort of criminal. As his eyes wandered, the general spoke, bringing his attention back to him.

"We spared you the mask," he chuckled dryly, "A show of faith Mr. Petrikov, considering the bite you gave one of my fine soldiers."

"I didn't know what I was doing," Simon mumbled under his breath, guilt washing over his face,

"That body of yours. Son, it's made for survival… isn't it?"

Simon's expression queered. He didn't like the way that was worded.

"I bet it's disheartening for you," the man mused as he lifted his glass and swirled it in thought, "to know that the crown is trying so hard to keep you, when you'd really rather die."

"Who says I want to die?" Simon questioned, not knowing that he was being baited, "I would never leave Marceline in a place like this, with people like _you_."

"People like us?" The general scoffed, "People who take you in from a world destroyed by war and give you a bed and food?"

"Who poked me full of holes, injected me purposely with substances that made me ill so you could violate my privacy," Simon snapped bitterly, "you have a way of seeing things in _your_ light, general."

"I look at the big picture," he replied simply, "What I think is best."

"I agreed to cooperate with the tests… but I can't wear the crown, not for what you want," Simon was honest, he didn't want to lose his mind, "It would degrade my mind to wear it for more than a few minutes."

"I'm sorry to hear that," the general shook his head, "It really didn't have to come to this, but… I am doing what's best for mankind."

The general smirked as he offered the folder to Simon. Simon looked down at it and a shadow fell over his face. He lifted his hand and it shook before he put it back in his lap. Closing his eyes Simon shook his head and held his hand out. The folder wasn't that thick but it felt so incredibly heavy as he grasped it. Resting it in his lap Simon stared at first. He lightly pressed his finger under the cover and lifted it.

His face fell and paled.

Pictures.

Pictures of him. Pictures of him and Betty.

Lots of them.

Pictures from the first day she snuck in to visit him in the new room. Him tickling her, kissing her, hugging her… he frantically sifted through them, sweat covering his brow as he realized that they had record of everything. But he clung to the hope that they surely didn't have record of… _everything_? When he got a ways in he found one of him changing in his room and his stomach felt like it hit the floor. Choking, he dug deeper and there were pictures that made him lurch.

Pictures of him and Betty.

Their most intimate moments, _every_ intimate moment seemed to be in there. Simon could hear the men against the wall chuckling softly under their breath as he looked through them, time slowing, and his heart hitching. The photos slipped slowly through his fingers and he clutched his clothes, tightly shut his eyes… feeling so violated. All eyes were on him and as he looked around the room he knew, KNEW that everyone there had seen them. Ashamed he buried his face in his hands and drew every part of himself inward, wishing he could disappear.

"How do you think we felt," one of the officers snickered disrespectfully, "having to see that freak show?"

A tanned fellow beside him chuckled with a regretful kind of perversity as he added, "I know redheads are supposed to be freaks in bed but… she was _really_ into it."

"D-Don't talk about her like that!" Simon shouted, his voice cracking as he collected everything in the envelope and tried his best to hide it as if that would undo everything, "I can't believe you people… oh _God_," tears began to form as his lip started a chain reaction of his entire body trembling. But he bit them back knowing they couldn't see him cry now. After everything, the last thing he wanted was for them to see him cry, "Why would you do this to me… to _her_? Why her?"

The general stood and even though he was shorter than Simon, he looked like a giant. Simon felt so small, so helpless… more so than he ever had.

"Because,_ freak_," his voice was powerfully confident, "you need to understand your place. We're being nice here, letting you keep your hell spawn daughter, live in a comfy enclosure, eat good food… and we've even _allowed_ all those times that pretty little thing wrapped her legs around you."

"Stop," Simon snapped, his eyes narrowing with disgust. He tried to stand but two of the men pushed his shoulders down, "Stop talking about my princess like that!"

"_Princess_," the general said Simon's affectionate pet name in disgust, "I suppose you would covet her affections… being the way you are," he paused, smiled in a fashion Simon thought resembled a devil, "And that's why you're going to be a good soldier from now on, Simon," he leaned down, grinning as he lifted his hand and patted his head like an obedient dog, "because all of it can be taken away. And not just from you, you understand," he shook his head, waved his finger back and forth, "No, you could really care less about yourself… but _them_. The only thing protecting them, Simon… is the choice you make today," lifting his brows in a physical gesture of checkmate the general sat back down in his chair and sipped his drink, "What will it be? You can keep going, have all your comforts… or you can deny me and _everyone_ suffers."

Simon's head dropped in defeat, "What choice do I have?"

"Two choices, Simon," the general chuckled,

"Don't ever let Betty see these," Simon pleaded, his voice breaking, "Don't let anyone else see these, please… she would be so embarrassed."

"I'd be embarrassed too," one of the men along the wall quipped, but jumped to attention as the general raised his hand,

"Enough of that… we have work to do," a pause to let everything sink in and then he added, "Isn't that right… Mr. Petrikov?"

…

"Yes," he responded, his voice a ghostly whisper

"Hm?"

"Yes, sir."

((**Author's Note:** I'd like to give some props to mah girl thepiedmon for helping me brainstorm this chapter and my editor scuro-valzer for editing. Okay... he...hehe... I'm going to go... sit in the corner now...))


	14. Count to Ten

Marceline woke up when she heard the alarm for breakfast. Eyes rolling to the door groggily, she felt disheartened that he hadn't come back yet. She rolled and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Her hair stuck out in all directions, matted and tangled. Simon usually brushed it out for her and she was incapable of undoing the knots on her own, no matter how hard she pulled at them. Walking outside she found the courtyard vacant. The food was left on the benches, covered and making her tummy grumble. Marceline looked over at Bubblegum's door and waited. It didn't seem that she was coming out. After their game yesterday Bubblegum had locked herself in her unit,

"Bubs?" Marceline knocked on the door lightly, "Bubs? Are you alive in there?"

There was some shuffling on the other end and then, "Hello Marceline."

Her voice sounded different. Marceline couldn't put her finger on it, but she sounded… older? The lock turned on the other end and the door opened. Bubblegum let it swing open as she stepped onto the threshold; her hair was down to her mid back, face slender, legs longer as she seemed to have grown a whole foot and a half over night- whereas she had appeared to be a child of eight or nine, she was now a teenager of thirteen. At once she noticed Marcy's hair. She recognized obvious signs of shock,

"You look… different," Marceline squinted and looked Bubblegum up and down, "Your hair is longer… and you're taller… I think."

Bubblegum didn't want to explain so instead she smiled and put her hand on Marcy's head, like she'd seen Simon do in the past and changed the subject, "Look at that hair," smoothing her voice out, she mimicked the motherly smile Betty gave the child to make her feel comforted, "Want me to brush it for you?"

"Oh…" Marceline groaned pulling at the tangled locks, "Please! Would you?"

"Of course," she smiled, tilting her head to one side, "But I don't have a brush."

"Simon has a brush in his room," Marceline pointed back at his unit, "He brushes his beard and hair with it."

Bubblegum smiled sweetly, grabbed Marceline's hand and began leading her towards the back of the enclosure. Marceline matched her friend's steps; too happy that her hair would be untangled to worry about going into Simon's room again without permission. The girls entered and Bubblegum took a moment to look around, observe the room. She sat on the edge of the bed and instructed Marceline to fetch the brush. Marceline looked around the room but couldn't find it.

"Check the bathroom, Marcy," Bubblegum instructed, "maybe he keeps it in there."

Marcy ran into the bathroom and returned shortly after, brush in hand. Bubblegum sat up, having lain down. She smiled sweetly as Marceline ran up to her, asked her to sit on the floor and patted her head. Careful when she brought the brush to her scalp, Bubblegum gently set about brushing the knots out. It proved to be a more complicated task than anticipated as her hair appeared to have mashed into one big tangled mess.

"Does it hurt?" she asked softly, genuinely concerned that she may be hurting her friend,

"A-a little," Marceline whimpered, "but it's okay. Thank you for brushing it."

"I've never seen your hair like this…" Bubblegum mused out loud, "Simon must usually brush it for you?"

"Yup," she confirmed,

"He's a good dad huh?" Bubblegum brushed through the ebony jungle, starting to make leeway in her battle with Marceline's hair, "From what I see, Simon seems to take very good care of you."

"He does," in her voice there was an obvious admiration for her surrogate father. Bubblegum saw Marceline's shoulders rise as she surely smiled, "Simon is the beeeeest!"

"I would have to agree," Bubblegum ran the brush from the front of Marceline's hair to the back a few times and then began to part and style it the way she usually kept it, "He's very… nice," after a short pause, Bubblegum added, "How long have you two been traveling together?"

"A couple of years," Marceline laughed,

"Betty…" Bubblegum feigned ignorance, keeping her voice even but using her task to pace herself, "At some point the three of you were separated?"

"I never met Betty before I woke up here," Marceline responded, "but her and Simon used to be like… I don't know the word. They almost got married and something happened and then they didn't."

"Oh…" was all Bubblegum said as she began to be able to run the brush fully through Marceline's hair, "So they're not married?"

"Um…" Marceline turned her head so she could look at Bubblegum, "… why?"

"Just curious," Bubblegum chuckled as she turned Marceline's head back around, "I haven't been in this world as long as you, Marcy… there's so much I have yet to experience for myself. The world, the lives that existed beyond these walls fascinates me."

"Oh… okay," Marceline smiled as she folded her hands in her lap.

xxx

The room was small, heavily guarded and mostly consisted of a chair and some machines that monitored things like heart rate and blood pressure. Simon bit his lip nervously as he sat in the chair, closed his eyes as they strapped him in and hooked him up to the machines. He knew what the test was likely going to be about, didn't want to do it, and didn't have a choice. Beside him the general stood, watching like a hawk as Simon was prepared, smirking,

"Strap his head down too," he said, "Simon, lean your head back and make it easy for the gentlemen."

"Yes… sir," he whispered, leaning his head back, gritting his teeth as they tightly bound it to the headboard.

"That's a good soldier," the general smirked. "The weapon is on route to be within intercepting range in a couple of days. You need to be ready. I'm going to watch from the observation room," he informed, "I expect that you will cooperate with these fine gentlemen."

"Yes sir." Simon looked at the only familiar face that offered answers if he pressed enough, the scientist with the clipboard, "Exactly what kind of test is this?"

"Bring it in," he ignored Simon and pressed the key that would open the magnetized entryway.

In came the crown, contained in a special case. It glimmered, as if smiling, as if it was happy to see Simon after so much time. Simon whimpered and bit his bottom lip.

"Mr. Petrikov," the assistant began, "when we put the crown on, we will need you to count to ten… if at any moment you lose control we will remove the crown, but we want you to focus."

"You don't know what you're asking," he gasped, "I…"

"We're going to get started," he said as he lowered the crown onto Simon's head, "Remember, count to ten."

'_Yes Simon… you know how to do that, don't you?_'

As the crown was placed on his head, Simon's eyes shot open. Magic flowed through his body and his hair instantly began to grow. He screamed for them to take it off and in panic the guards knocked it off his head with a pole. It hit the floor heavily and rolled around, stopping at Simon's foot,

"No," he screamed, trying to shake his head, "Stop… I can't…"

'_Hush…_' the crown lulled, chuckling when Simon froze, '_Relax my king, this isn't such a bad thing. Let me take over,_' it cooed, its presence wrapping around him even tighter then the bonds, '_I will make them pay for your suffering…_'

"No," Simon whined, looking over at the men in charge, all shapes now, "Please… I don't want to hurt anyone, please…"

The doctor stepped up to Simon and shined a light in his eye. Shaking his head he turned to a nurse Simon thought had blond hair, "His heart rate is already too high, administer the blood warmer."

"Are you even listening to me!?" Simon growled, flailing in the restraints, "Listen to me!"

'_I'm listening, Simon,_' the crown mocked with a chuckle, '_Do you know what I hear, my king?_' it allowed a moment of silence, enough time for the humans to dig the needle in his arm, '_I hear your pain. But it doesn't have to be this way, darling… let me have you. I'll get you out of here._'

"This is over!" Simon screamed, "Release me!"

"It's not over till you can wear the crown and count to ten," the scientist instructed as he scribbled some notes on his clipboard, "if you want the experiment to be over, then you know what you have to do."

…

After hours of testing, Simon's best attempt had only been six seconds. By this point his ability to hold on had gotten even worse and with the crown on or off he couldn't stop sobbing. He asked for his princess, begged to see her. When it seemed he wasn't even trying to resist the crown any longer, the door opened and the general walked inside, holding the folder,

"You're not being a good soldier, Simon," he grumbled, "how are we going to fight this thing if all you do is sob like a baby?"

"I… I can't… the crown… princess… please…" Simon's mind was a mess, scrambled and trying to piece itself back together.

"Simon," the general snapped in front of his face to get his attention, "maybe this is my fault. You've forgotten your motivation." Opening the folder the general took out a photo of Betty and showed it to Simon, "_This_ is your motivation."

"Princess…" Simon's voice was a whisper,

"If you can't do a simple thing like count to ten, Simon… I don't see why I can't just forget these somewhere."

'… _I don't like this guy._'

"Do you understand me just fine?"

"Y-yes, sir," Simon whimpered,

'_Stop fighting me and let's kill him already!_'

"Good, because it takes a lot of resources to feed and house a little girl," he commented idly before taking his leave, "and those little…visits? They're a privilege Petrikov. Don't forget that."

The next time they put the crown on him Simon was able to make it to ten. However, as soon as he hit the goal number, something terrible happened. The crown unleashed magic and the entire room, including the scientists and guards were sheeted with frost. Simon's restraints were brittle and broke easily. He fell out of his chair and onto his knees. Simon knocked the crown off his head and sobbed,

"Was that enough…? I did what you wanted… I… please…"

The intercom made a noise and Simon heard the general on the other end, "Give Mr. Petrikov a few minutes to collect himself and let's adjourn to another room."

xxx

Betty entered in the middle of the day, careful not to be spotted by anyone directly. She knew the people watching wouldn't stop her, they weren't dumb, if she was there they'd figure it out. It was a shock to find that Simon and Marceline weren't outside playing. The thought that he was still asleep at this early hour was an even further stretch. Simon had expressed on several occasions how difficult it was for him to sleep. She tossed her lab coat on one of the benches as she made her way over to his unit. As Betty drew closer, Bubblegum came out, her face somewhat flat. When she looked up and saw Betty a smile instantly manifested. Ignoring Betty's shock at her altered age Bubblegum ran and wrapped her arms around her,

"How nice it is to see you Betty," her voice was genuinely endearing, "I missed you."

Betty chuckled and returned the hug, though somewhat hesitantly. Lightly grabbing the girl's shoulders Betty eased her back to get a look at her, "You've grown…"

"Yes," Bubblegum nodded, "being such a small child was bothersome."

"I need to stop giving you candy," Betty sighed, feeling as though she shot herself in the foot, "Bubblegum, where's Simon? In there?" she gestured to his unit,

"Simon hasn't come back yet," Bubblegum drooped her head a bit, "Marcy and I have been in there waiting for him." She read the empathy in Betty's face and offered, "Maybe you should comfort her. She's awfully worried about him… I am too, but you know how daddy's girls are."

The comment took Betty by surprise, but she didn't bring her thoughts to light, "I'll go do that."

"I'll return shortly… I wanted to get something from my room."

Betty walked into Simon's unit and Bubblegum walked towards hers. She stopped at the bench when she noticed Betty's jacket had been left there. Curious, not meaning any harm she peeked into Betty's pocket; some individually wrapped peppermints, her card key, cleaning cloth and a piece of paper… a photo? Bubblegum looked over her shoulder before she pulled it out. Her face flushed and she turned it over, putting a hand on her cheek. She wondered why Betty would be carrying a picture like this around with her when it could so easily fall… out… of her pocket. Looking over her shoulder Bubblegum held the photo to her stomach and walked briskly to her room.

Meanwhile, Betty was sitting beside Marceline on Simon's bed trying to comfort her. Stroking her hair, Betty's heart sank at the way the little girl clung to her covered tray of food. Marceline pressed her face into the cold metal cover and closed her eyes, finding comfort in it,

"Sweety… you should eat your food," Betty soothed, putting her hand over the tiny gray one holding onto the cover, "It's okay…"

"They didn't bring Simon any breakfast," Marceline pouted, "he's going to be hungry when he comes back… _if _he comes back…"

"Honey," she cooed, pulling the distraught child closer, "he's coming back… I'm sure wherever he is, he's fine."

"You don't know where he is?" Marceline sounded panicked as she suddenly looked up with wide, fearful eyes,

"I…" Betty didn't want Marceline to worry so she smiled and kissed her forehead, "Of course I know where he is," not a full lie, he _was_ in the compound, "and he will be back as soon as he can."

Marceline wrapped her arms around Betty and squeezed tightly. Betty nestled her face into the little girl's hair and promised her everything would be okay. Bubblegum watched this display from the doorway, knowing better. The concept of lies however, made sense to her now. Lies weren't just blatant mistruths, they were also truths twisted to make someone feel better. She walked into the room and put her hand on Betty's shoulder. Betty opened her arm and pulled Bubblegum into the hug without a word, thinking perhaps she was as distraught as Marceline. This wasn't true, but she accepted the warm gesture,

"Girls… I'm going to…" all three turned their heads as they heard the main entrance unlock and open, "Stay here."

"No!" Marceline latched onto Betty with tears in her eyes, "If they see you, they'll take you away too! You'll get in trouble!"

"No, no… sweetheart," Betty soothed as she eased the child off of her, "They…" she glanced up at where she knew the camera was and then locked eyes with Marceline, "They know I'm here. It's okay."

Betty ran out to the fountain feeling a little short of breath, but that was the nerves. She saw Simon walking in, his head bowed. Something was wrong, he seemed so… drained. Running to him, ignoring the looks the guards gave her, she figured it didn't matter what she did anymore. Betty leapt at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding tight. Confused, the guards looked to one another and then at Betty. After the initial shock Simon looked up, his tired eyes straining to focus on her. When the glaze wore off, he tried to push her off of him, thinking she would assuredly get in trouble. Betty only grew more concerned when Simon's efforts were feeble and after moving he grasped his head in silent agony.

"Simon…" Betty lightly grabbed his shoulders to steady him and waited till he opened his eyes, "What's the matter?" she grabbed his face and looked into his eyes, they were glazed over and sunk into his face. He looked like a corpse, ready to collapse, "Honey, it's okay…" she cooed, trying to wrap her arms around him,

"B-Bet… no… I…" he mumbled almost incoherently as he looked to the men and saw the looks they were giving her, his bottom lip trembled as he focused, despite the pain in his head, to string words together, "You should leave, Betty… they…"

"We're not interested in seeing or hearing any of this," one of the guards muttered as he quickly unshackled Simon, "Disgusting display…"

The look she gave the guard might as well have cut his tongue. Clamping his mouth shut the guard finished his job, handed the reluctant Simon a folder, muttered something in his ear, collected the restraints and made a quick exit. With him gone, Betty again wrapped her arms around Simon and she hugged him tightly, despite his feeble protests. She kissed his cheek and leaned back with a loving smile,

"I'm glad you're okay…" she used the word '_okay_' loosely, " Marceline's been in the room saving her breakfast for you."

"Princess," he was still in disbelief, looking over his shoulder at the door and then back at her, wondering how she was so sure they wouldn't haul her away, "you hugged me."

"I can't hug you?" she asked, shaking her head,

"But weren't you…? They could have…"

"Simon," her eyes darted downward as she bit her lip, "Honey, we need to talk about some things."

He looked into her eyes and it took his worn brain a minute but it finally clicked, "You knew they were going to let you stay?"

"Simon, darling… they already knew I was coming…" looking over her shoulder she meant to gesture to her coat, but instead pointed at Marceline who was running full speed towards them, "Oh no… Marceline, wait! Simon's not feeling-"

Marceline leapt onto Simon, wrapping her limbs tightly around his torso. He flew clean off his feet and hit the ground with a hard thud. More of his efforts went into holding onto the contents of the folder then his own preservation. Marceline pressed her cheeks against his and rubbed, like a kitten that missed its mother. Simon flailed weakly on the ground, trying to wiggle free but was unable to,

"Marceline… Please let go, I had a very… stressful night and I'd really like to talk to Betty before I go try a-and get some sleep."

"Where were you!?" Marceline shouted, sitting up on his chest, putting her balled fists against her hips, "I was so worried Simon!"

"Sweetheart, I'm sorry," he apologized in the most tender tone, patient even though Betty could tell he was very tired, "Oh… my ribs… my head…"

"Simon?" Marceline's tiny voice was filled with concern,

"Let him up," Betty instructed as she hooked her hands under Marceline's arms and lifted her, "we really do have to have a private talk… about grown up stuff."

"Are you two going to fight?" Marceline asked fearfully,

"No…" Simon assured his precious girl with a pat on the head. As he stood, he slid his hand down the side of her face and cupped her little chin, tilting it back so she'd look at him, "No worries darling…" he whispered as he kissed her forehead, "brb."

"Okay…"

…

Simon led Betty into an unused unit, where he supposed there might not be any cameras. Who knew, all of them could have been bugged, but at least they wouldn't be where all those pictures were… He looked down at the folder and his heart ached. Setting it aside he noticed Betty was looking at it, curious. He shook his head and slid it further away,

"Just ignore that, darling," his voice was tired, grainy and his hair seemed to cover his face more than it had before, "We… you said," he pinched his brow as a sharp pain shot through him, "I'm sorry…"

"Are you okay Simon? I mean…" she stammered, shifting from foot to foot, "I know you're not okay, but… what did they do to you?"

"Nothing…" he winced, bending forward till his forehead touched his knees, "It's just… a headache," sucking a breath Simon whispered, "go on dear, I'm listening…"

"They know about us," Betty told him, balling her fists as her irritation outweighed her desire to handle the news delicately, "Those… those bastards have been toying with us Simon," she wiped her mouth and bit her thumbnail in irritation, "Mertins… he fussed up… showed me this picture-"

"-what picture!?" Simon interjected in panic, covering the folder with his hand, "He showed you _what_!?"

"A picture of us," Betty glanced down at the folder and then at Simon, curious, "they know… about… Simon, what's in that folder?"

"Ignore the folder," his voice was strained, "It's nothing princess… let's… let's figure this out."

"Okay Hun," he looked so worn she didn't want to push him, "put it aside then," she let him move the folder and then walked over and sat in his lap, rested her head in the crook of his neck and closed her eyes, "Simon… I meant to say something earlier, but… you feel colder than usual."

He didn't respond.

"Where were you today?" her voice was patient and soothing, made him curl against her,

"I spoke with the general…" he told her sadly, "I don't have a choice… I… there's a weapon coming and-"

"-you're going to use the crown?" Betty snapped, astonished that Simon would cave in, "You promised Marceline, Simon!"

"I-I know what I promised," he stammered, frustrated, getting dizzy from the rush, "but Betty, I don't have a choice…" He grabbed her face tenderly and brought her forehead to his, pressing it against his gently, "Princess… I can't lose you… If anything ever happened to you I'd," he let out a breath that solidified in the air and kissed her cheek as he wrapped his arms around her, "I'm not strong enough to lose you a second time darling."

"No," she pushed him back, anger in her eyes, "Don't you dare let them use me to get you to do what they want!" Frustrated and furious, she shook her head and punched his arm, "Tell them no or I'll go in there… I'm done with their-"

"-Betty!" his voice grew hard and silenced her immediately, "I don't want to put it on, I'd rather die than lose another memory or a piece of myself… but it's worth it. It's worth it if it means you and Marceline will be safe. They know everything… EVERYTHING!" Digging his nails into his scalp Simon whimpered, coming down from his adrenaline rush, "And right now I'm trying to keep you safe, princess," he reached around and clung to her, letting his icy tears seep into her shoulder, "B-but I'm not sure I c-can… what's out there, what's going on in here and…" lifting a hand he pointed sorrowfully to his head, "What's going to happen sooner or later here… I… I'm trying…"

His voice cracked as he fought to keep from sobbing. He was so tired, so afraid… and Betty understood why. She kissed his temple and stroked his hair, humming softly, knowing music soothed him when all else failed. It was almost time for her to go to work but that could wait, he needed her with him. Betty hummed softly till Simon fell asleep, cheeks stained with tears. Leaning back, she straightened his clothes a bit, careful not to wake him. The envelope was on the bed and she picked it up, carried it with her over to the dresser. It touched the countertop and then she lifted it back up, curious. Looking over at Simon, she wondered what was in the folder. Maybe it would explain what those monsters had done to him.

She slipped her finger under the cover and began to lift,

"Betty!"

"Ah!" she squeaked, slamming it down on the dresser and spinning around, "Simon! I was…"

Simon wasn't awake. He had called out to her in his sleep. It broke her heart to see him tossing and turning the way he was, whimpering her name. She walked over to him, sat by his side and ran her fingers through his hair,

"I wish I could stay and never go, I love you so."

...

((**Authors Notes:** Simon and Betty still have some things to go over... and someone really needs to pay more attention to Bubblegum and the things that come out of her mouth. Nothing big or eventful in this chapter... however... there's plenty there, heehee.

Edited by: Scuro-Valzer))


	15. The Beloved

Marceline was propped on the edge of the fountain, swinging her legs over the edge. She kept staring at the unit Simon was currently sleeping in and had been in for hours. Betty had also left a good while ago, telling the girls not to go in there, to let him try and sleep. Respecting Betty's authority, Marceline obeyed. Bubblegum stood beside her, one hand resting on the bench, the other tucking her thick hair behind her ear. She wished she knew what they had talked about, more so than Marcy. Marcy just wanted Simon to wake up.

"It's been a long time," Marceline sighed, "do you think he's okay?"

"No," Bubblegum was honest with her, "he's not okay… they did something to him."

"Something bad?" Marceline sounded panicked as she hopped off the ledge, clutching her fists tightly, "They _hurt_ him?"

"Maybe in a sense you are unable to comprehend," she responded, walking toward the unit, "I have suspicions I'd like to investigate. I'm going inside to take a look."

"Betty said for us to stay out here," Marceline ran up and grabbed Bubblegum by her arm and pulled her back gently, "Don't go!"

"Or what?" Bubblegum said flatly, pulling her arm free with a quick jerk, "Betty's not here and we're both worried for Simon's well being," seeing her friend's worried expression Bubblegum sighed, "Marcy," she smiled cordially as she pet the girl's head, "You stay out here… I'll be right back. I'm just going to check on him, I won't wake him up and Betty will be none the wiser."

It took a second for Bubblegum's words to sink in, but Marceline caught the underlying meaning. Digging her toes into the ground she lowered her head and softly agreed,

"… Okay."

…

Bubblegum closed the unit door behind her as quietly as she could, but the old lock still made a clicking noise. She surveyed the room before walking out into the open and found Simon tossing and turning on the bed. As he kicked and whined she heard him mumble and cry. There were certain words she could make out: princess… crown… ice.

Quiet as a mouse, she crept to the side of the bed and watched him. She'd seen Betty touch his hair when she wanted him to be calm and hesitantly leaned over and put her hand on his head. His movements slowed almost instantly. Smiling, Bubblegum sat beside him and played with his hair. It was silvery, soft and lovely. Human hair was so unlike her clumps of bubblegum mass that she wished she could be more like Simon and Marceline and… Betty.

When Simon was sleeping soundly, Bubblegum stood and walked over to the dresser. She'd noticed that the envelope had been left there, the envelope that Simon didn't want anyone to see. Without hesitation Bubblegum opened it,

"Oh… my…"

Blushing, she looked back over her shoulder at Simon, mouth slightly agape. He was sleeping peacefully now, his face relaxed. Turning back to the folder Bubblegum sifted a bit, closed it and left. Marceline was outside, sitting cross-legged in the grass, holding her head in her tiny, blue-gray hands. Bubblegum walked up to Marceline and offered her hand. Marceline latched onto Bubblegum's pink palm and stood. Sweetly, Bubblegum adjusted Marceline's hair and shirt, trying to mimic the maternal gestures Betty used to soothe the child,

"He's fine now," she said, "Sleeping peacefully."

"Okay… I guess I'll have to figure out something to do while I wait…"

"Why don't you come and play with me?" Bubblegum offered, taking her hand, "We can… color?" she tried, thinking Marceline mentioned liking to draw once.

"Okay!" Marceline smiled and trailed after Bubblegum, "I'll draw Simon a picture to make him feel better when he wakes up!"

"That's so nice of you," Bubblegum praised sweetly. "You're surely his daughter, you're so kind."

xxx

"Hey Mertins…"

"What is it, Henry?" Mertins sighed as he set his tray on the belt and reached for a pudding cup, "I'm not really in the mood."

"You, uh… you know that girl over there right?" he asked, pointing to Betty, sitting beside Jessica a few tables from the line, "The red headed one?"

"Betty?" he only looked at her for a moment before focusing on picking lunch items, "… yeah."

"You two have _history_ together, right?"

"What are you getting at Henry?" his voice grew irritated as he walked down the line, "Just spit it out!"

"I overheard some of the military guys talking, calling her a freak in bed," he whispered with dancing brows, "Those red heads huh?"

Mertins sighed, clenching his tray to keep from lashing out. He kept his voice down but his words left him as a harsh whisper, "Shut up Henry. Just… shut up."

"Man. Lighten up!"

Mertins continued walking down the line, not looking or speaking to Henry again. From across the room, that certain red head glanced at him from under her bangs. She looked back down however, when Jessica once again began blathering on. Betty had wanted to eat lunch alone but somehow Jessica found the empty seat next to her as an open invitation. Never mind how tired she looked or how off putting the scowl should have been. Betty didn't have the heart to tell her to go away, knowing Jessica didn't really have a lot of friends. The girl was nice enough, just… man she never stopped talking!

"You seem upset," she pried, her intentions good enough but very much unwanted, "and you look like you don't want to talk about it… but… we've worked together for nearly eight years." Looking down at her food Jessica sighed and dared to reach out, "You've put up with my shenanigans all these years without much complaining," she chuckled light heartedly, "I can tell that whatever this is about is really bothering you."

Surprised by her genuine concern, Betty turned to her and, despite her mood, found herself smiling, "Thank you, that's very sweet of you…" poking at her lunch Betty bit her bottom lip before adding, "I really can't talk about it though. It's one of _those_ things."

"Are you pregnant?"

"Jessica…" Betty sighed as she sipped her juice, "You know that's impossible. We were all exposed to the radiation when we fled here."

"I know…" she mused sadly, "…but, aw, lighten up," Jessica cooed, patting Betty's shoulder with the affection of an old friend, "You've got your little bubblegum baby to nurture!"

"I'm not really in the mo- achoo!" her hands flew to cover her mouth, "Ah! This darn cold!"

"You're sick?" Jessica quickly withdrew her hand and stared, "They're neat freaks around here… how did you catch a cold? I guess that explains why you keep wearing that sweater."

"I think I have the chills," Betty sniffled into her napkin, one hand tugging the sweater further down her stomach as she felt a chill, "Is it cold in here?"

"No," Jessica's eyes wandered off towards the food line, "Hey. Isn't that your man over there? Maybe he can cheer you up!"

Looking up Betty saw that Jessica was pointing at Mertins. Her head quickly snapped back down to her food, cheeks burning. Clenching her fist around her utensil she stabbed at her imitation potatoes and grumbled curses. Jessica leaned back, confused. She didn't try to pry any further, figuring Betty's behavior was more a result of relationship matters than anything else.

She was half right.

xxx

A day went by before Betty was able to visit Simon again. She knew they had been running tests on him, she'd heard bits and pieces from Jessica who was currently standing in for Harley while she recovered. Who knew Jessica had a minor in psychology… not Betty. As Betty neared the enclosure where Simon was kept, she noticed footsteps behind her. Stopping, she waited a second and then looked over her shoulder to find Richardson only a few feet away. Knowing he was one of the men terrorizing her fiancée Betty gave him a nasty scowl, but it faded when he spoke,

"He's not in there."

"It's the middle of the day!" Betty exclaimed, attempting her best effort to bottle her temper, "Where is he?"

"Final conditioning for our departure," Richardson answered, purposely leading Betty to inquire more.

"Okay, new question," Betty shifted her weight and put a hand on her hip, "where are you people taking him?"

xxx

It had been such a long time it seemed since he had been outside. Simon smiled as he felt the warmth of the sun's rays hitting his face. This feeling was short lived as he was encouraged to walk faster, toward the helicopter that was prepped for their departure. This 'weapon' was apparently in range for interception and had been killing men by the thousands. Somehow Simon was supposed to do something about it.

He lowered and kept his head down as he approached the copter. Through the whirring of the blades a familiar voice caught his attention. He turned to look over his shoulder just in time to catch Betty running towards him. She threw her arms around his neck, stumbling into a hug and squeezing him tight. Wedging his arms between their bodies Simon pushed her back, noticing her clothes. She was wearing a bullet proof vest. Panicked, Simon began to speak,

"No," he shook his head, looking to the first officer, Richardson pleadingly, "She's not coming. Betty," he held her face and sternly told her, "you're _not_ coming."

"Like hell I'm not coming!" she snapped, carefully but forcefully removing his shaking hands, "Cause if I don't go, they're going to bring Marcy. She doesn't need to see you like this Simon!"

"I… I don't want _you_ to see me like this…" he bit his bottom lip, "Please… does she have to come? I won't be trouble, I'll follow orders. Please?"

"If you follow our orders, you two will be in your nest by nightfall," Richardson was apathetic as he opened the chopper door and motioned with his gun for Simon and Betty to enter, "Now be a good soldier."

Simon bowed his head and stepped up to the chopper ladder. He extended his hand to Betty. She took his gentlemanly gesture with pride, glaring at Richardson as Simon helped her up into the aircraft. Simon climbed the steps and entered the closed space. Sitting already, Betty was attempting to buckle herself in but it was clear she had no idea what she was doing. Seeing that she was quickly becoming frustrated, Simon briskly walked to her assistance. Taking a seat beside her Simon helped her with the belts and made sure they were extra snug. Betty tugged on them herself and then offered him a sweet smile. He kissed her cheek lovingly before strapping himself in.

"None of that on my vessel," Richardson snapped, "she's not here for you to make googly eyes at, Petrikov." Reaching down, he tapped Simon's head with the end of his pistol and added, "Focus."

"You watch how you talk to him," Betty snapped, fighting against her safety restraints as she pointed at him fearlessly, "And I'm here to make sure nothing happens to him so _we're_ clear, Richardson."

"Feisty," Richardson chuckled, putting his gun away, "but we'll see how well your resolve holds up when we get there."

xxx

The main copter ventured out into the wastelands where the war was still active. Looking out the window Simon and Betty saw men and women walking listlessly from the battle in droves, like zombies. Explosions were going off and the chopper shook as it got closer to the so-called "weapon." As Simon was unbuckled and he looked out, he saw that this thing was less of a weapon and more of a… creature. It was giant, bulbous and venomously brutal, taking out tanks like bugs and practically swatting missiles like flies. Simon paled, wondering how he was expected to fight this thing- this _monster_. Betty screamed, furious and horrified,

"What's wrong with you people!?" she screeched, "What do you expect him to do about that… that THING!?" Betty struggled, angrily trying to undo her belts as Simon looked out the open copter door, "Simon, please for the love of God don't go out there!"

"Betty I-" Simon's sentence was cut short as the entire copter veered off course, "What in the-?!"

Monstrous looking creatures were latching onto the copter, denting the surface with their relentless attacks. Simon didn't hesitate as he saw the panic and fear on Betty's face. He ran to where they kept the crown and opened it. Simon gave Betty one last longing look before he ran and jumped out the open door. Shoving the crown on his head he felt the surge of power and almost instant change to his body. Flying, he hovered in the air and shot magic bolts at the creatures, freezing them instantly. They chipped off the hull and fell to the ground one by one. A beam of light shot just past his shoulder and the Ice King turned in the air.

He got a good look at the creature, gritting his teeth in fear that he would have to fight it. The copter made a horrible noise and smoke drew Ice King's attention. It began an unstable descent towards the mountains and he worriedly flew after upon hearing the frenzied cries of his princess. Worried the monster would follow, Ice King summoned a powerful hail storm that blinded the beast and allowed him to steer the vessel to a concealed location. It crashed into the side of a mountain at the mouth of a cave. Sealing the entrance with ice, the king knew the creature wouldn't find them in there, not with his storm blanketing their escape,

"Oh breadballs that thing was scary!" he exclaimed. "You okay in there, princess?" he giddily giggled, rapping on the hull of the copter as he skipped around, "I'm coming in, okay?"

He climbed into the copter and flew straight to her, smiling fondly as he watched her sleep. Reaching out, Ice King touched her forehead where he saw a huge welt forming and lightly ran his fingertips through her hair; it was so soft. Kneeling down he unbuckled her from the craft, lifted and held her like the two of them were dancing. With adulation he kissed her forehead and hoisted her limp body up into his arms for a better grip. Chuckling, he leapt from the copter, not noticing the half opened eye watching him from under a patch of matted brown hair.

Ice King nuzzled his precious prize as he ventured further into the cave, a trail of frost and icicles spreading and sprouting as he flew down the pathways. He didn't notice the man limping after him. Richardson was in a great deal of pain, as the landing had been rough, and he was sure he had a fracture or two in his ribs. After calling for back-up, he stumbled down the corridor, following Simon's trail, intent on not letting him escape. As he rounded a corner, he was caught off guard by the thin sheet of ice on the ground and reached out to catch himself. As he fell he hissed in pain. An icicle had sliced right through his clothes and left a horrid gash,

"Damn…" he grumbled, "These things are sharp…"

…

Betty was unconscious when Ice King found what he thought would be a nice place for them to nest. Using his magic, he sculpted a bed out of ice. Smirking, he placed Betty on the bed, positioning her hands so they lay over her stomach. He thought she looked more comfortable that way. Kissing her cheek he whispered,

"You rest baby, I'll make this hideout more… cozy," after which he set about adding a nightstand, TV, a lamp, some pictures and finer details till the room looked like something he could've sworn he dreamed about once, "Ah," he exclaimed as he added a few pillows to the bed, "Yeah, now we're talkin'. Looks nice!"

Betty made a morbid sound as she stirred, awoken by the harshness of his strained tone. She felt nauseous at first when she tried to sit up, then again by the throbbing of her head. Everything hurt; her back aching from whiplash and her chest felt sharp strikes of pain when she breathed. Gently touching her temples, she grumbled and tried to ease the throbbing. Ice King noticed this and flew to her side right away with a worried scowl,

"Oh baby," he said, "You ain't look'n too good." Sitting on the edge of the bed, he reached out and pet her hair like he would something precious, "That's okay… I'm here. I'm going to take care of you."

At first Betty didn't say anything, just looked up at him, confused. His hair was all over the place and there was this look in his eyes… she couldn't explain, how he looked at her was almost possessive. And when he spoke, his voice was grainy and unnatural. It felt as if she had awoken to a stranger. But this was Simon, she had to remember… Marceline had said the crown made him weird. She smiled awkwardly as she gently grabbed his hand, easing it away from her head. Leaning back, Simon smiled, smitten like a puppy hanging on her every word with interest,

"Simon… where are we?" Betty questioned, caught off guard by the makeshift bedroom, "D-did you make all this stuff?"

Putting her legs over the edge of the 'bed', Betty braced herself for a second and then stood and walked around, noting as her vision blurred that her head injury wasn't the only thing making her head spin. Somehow, Simon had completely recreated their old bedroom. Turning to him, she tried to find the right words to explain how very strange it was for him to do such a thing without hurting his feelings. Any form of words died on her tongue as she found him laying on his stomach on the bed, resting his chin in his hands, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively,

"You look so cute when you're confused," he chuckled, "Is it that bump on your head? Come over here and snuggle, my cold bod will keep it from swelling."

"No thank you," Betty couldn't help the tone of her voice, "Simon, we need to go back to the copter… the others might be hurt."

"The army men?" Ice King rolled onto his side and pretended to smooth the imaginary covers on the ice bed, "They're sleeping… let's not worry about them," his voice was disinterested as he examined his clawed hands. "_Instead_ let's talk about how I saved you from that monster. Don't princesses always give their heroes a little reward?"

"Oh God," she sighed, pinching her brow, "I don't know what to do with you right now," she grumbled,

"I know what you can do with me," he chuckled, beckoning her closer with his finger, face falling in confusion as she refused,

"Simon… we have to go help those people. If you don't want to, fine… get yourself together here, I'll be right back."

"Wha- wa- wait! Don't leave me," he cried as he flew to her. Ice King wrapped his arms around her and squeezed tightly, missing the pained squeak that left Betty as he did so, "Please don't leave me!"

"I'm going to come back," she tried to explain, but he shook his head and held fast,

"No… you're lying," he whined into her shoulder, "Like… last time…. You said you'd call and you didn't! I waited for so long," he sobbed pathetically, "You can't leave me… I need you…"

Betty shifted in his grip so that she could turn to face him, though it was hard with how tightly he was holding her. Smiling she reached up and cupped his face in her hands, trying to keep them steady as they shook. His nose had grown, his skin was darker, he was acting absolutely crazy and it was frightening her a bit… but he had to still be her Simon deep down. Tilting her head to the side she leaned forward and lightly brushed her lips against his. It was a bit of a shock when he instantaneously pulled her closer to deepen the kiss and slipped a hand under her shirt. Betty shoved him away from her with a muffled string of complaints.

"Hey!" she snapped as she broke the kiss and held him back, "What are you doing!?"

"Oh… well, you kissed me…" he mused with a crooked smirk, "Doesn't that mean you wanna… y'know?" he gestured to the bed and she pushed him back with more force.

"No," she shook her head in disbelief, "That's _not_ what I meant!"

"Boy… you're cute when you're angry," he bit his bottom lip and inched closer. His mannerisms unnerved Betty and she stepped back, breaking all contact with him, her hands curled up over her chest defensively, "Oh- hoho!" Ice King exclaimed, "You want me to chase you around? Like old times, eh?"

"No!" Betty exclaimed, "You're not yourself… and I," she paused as another wave of nausea hit her, "…feel dizzy…"

"Aw, poor baby," he cooed, stepping forward with his arms outstretched, "I know what will make everything better," his voice dropped sultrily and Betty narrowed her eyes,

"Simon I don't…" she caught movement in the tunnel behind him, "Look. Someone's here to get us!"

"What?" he growled turning to find Richardson leaning against the frostbitten wall, "Oh great. On top of everything else you gotta ice block my game!"

"Petrikov…" Richardson was out of breath, still in shock from the impact, "I think the coast is clear… that thing wandered off. I need you to drop the storm so we can get out of here."

"No. I want to stay," Ice King pouted, "look I already set everything up… with a little TLC this place… oh yeah it's going to make a great castle!"

"Simon," Betty put her hand on his shoulder, "We can't stay here… what about Marceline?"

"Marceline?" he questioned with a chuckle, "Who's Marceline?"

Betty pulled her hand away, disbelief covering her face. How could he forget Marceline? Were the effects really that severe? She tried to reason with him, but he insisted on staying in the 'castle'. Finally Richardson grew fed up with attempting to 'talk' to the madman and drew his gun. He fired a shot and shattered one of the pictures Simon had made. His white eyes focused in on the broken bits of ice as if they were familiars. Gripping his shirt, his eyes narrowed, taking the attack as an insult. A frigid chill washed over the room and as Richardson spoke his breath left him as a white could of frost,

"If you don't follow orders we're going to have a problem, Petrikov," Richardson demanded, "I'll shoot the both of you if that's what it takes to get you back to base"

Ice King didn't like that… at all.

He brought his hands into his chest and icicles sprouted all round the enclosure. Richardson scattered on tiptoes to keep from being impaled. A few protrusions caught in his clothes and immobilized him. He fought to free himself but was wedged between the giant, razor-sharp shards of ice. Betty frantically pulled at Simon's jacket as he walked towards Richardson, beginning to calm him down,

"Wait… Simon-!"

"Who?" Ice Kingquestioned, shoving her back with his elbow, "Baby, you're getting clingy… I guess you changed your mind," he chuckled, "Don't worry daddy will take care of your needs after he gets rid of this pesky intruder."

"Simon, please!" she stumbled in her fatigue to catch her steps. When she found her footing, Betty lurched forwards, trying to grab the crown, "You're better than this. Don't hurt him!"

"But he hurt me!" he snapped smacking her hand away from his head, fighting her grip, "He laughed at me, made me feel worthless, made me feel like a… a FREAK," Simon hissed through his pointed teeth as he turned and grabbed her by her upper arms, "And now he's trying to take you away. He _deserves_ it," Ice King snarled and the icicles in the room grew in tandem with his anger, one stopping just as it pressed against Richardson's neck, drawing a single drop of blood, "Trust me, princess… he'll never bother us ever again after this…"

"Petrikov," Richardson's voice waivered a bit as he tried to reason with him, "Listen…"

"Sorry," Ice King snickered, raising his hand, "I don't know a Petriwhoviawhatsit!"

"Wait!" Betty grabbed Simon's arm and pulled down with all her might, "No… don't kill him, please!"

"Oh darling, you silly, cute little goose," he chuckled, "I'm not going to kill him, just _talk_ to him."

She could tell by tone, talking wasn't exactly what he really had in mind. Simon was a kind person, if he did anything to harm someone he'd never forgive himself.

"Please, Simon… let it go," she pleaded, "you're going to do something you'll regret later."

"Just hold on will ya?" Ice King grunted as he pushed her back mid turn, "Give me a minute to take care of business."

He heard her stumble back and squeak. At first he didn't take heed, focusing instead on Richardson. Richardson was looking past Simon. Ice King approached the trapped man, grinning. As Ice King went to place his hand over Richardson's face a thin layer of frost began to spread,

"…Simon?"

The meekness of Betty's voice caught his attention and he turned to her with a chuckle,

"Can't it wait sugardrop I'm just a tad bit-" he stopped, dropping his smile instantly, "…princess, what are you doing on the floor?"

"I think we need to leave now," she hissed, her hand grabbing the icicle that had penetrated her side just below her jacket, "I… I… ow…"

"Baby!"

He said the pet name with the utmost affection and concern, rushing to her side. Hovering over her, he saw that blood was soaking her shirt and hesitated to touch the wound. Eyes darting over her body, Simon trembled as his mind swarmed to normalcy, the tragic nature of the event seemingly gluing some of the pieces back together. He touched the icicles, _his_ icicles… the ones that were supposed to protect her- and they all melted. Richardson collapsed in the background and watched the two with a critical eye as he collected himself.

As Simon realized that Betty couldn't even hold herself up, something wrapped around his chest, making it difficult to breathe. Kneeling beside her, Simon opened his arms and cradled her as she collapsed. Those green emeralds looked up at him with confusion, fear and pain. Not knowing what to do, he reached up and brushed the estranged bangs from her face. She smiled despite the pain at seeing his eyes look back at her,

"Hello Simon…"

"Hush, darling…" he urged, trying to move her but freezing as she sucked in a harsh breath at the pain, "Oh no… no, no no no no no… I did this…" Simon choked, shutting his eyes, "I… I… I'm going to get you out of here… a doctor, I'll get you to the doctor!"

Despite her muffled whimper, he picked her up and tried to keep her steady in his arms. He started walking back towards the cave entrance, but was so weak himself that his legs crisscrossed over one another with every step just to keep balance. Tears were pouring from his eyes, freezing and hitting the ground as little bits of hail. The crown tried reasoning with him, yelling, demanding that he stop but Simon couldn't hear it now. Of all the noise and screams, Simon only heard the harsh gasps of his beloved,

"Wait…" she moaned, "S-Simon… please stop, stop moving…"

"I can't…" his voice was determined as he corrected himself, "I won't…"

"It hurts… please…"

"Baby, I need you to hold on, please I-"

His knees buckled as his foot tripped on a small stalagmite Simon exhaled ice breath and slowed his fall, his outstretched arms allowing Betty's plunge to be cushioned slightly by the snow. She screamed in pain, clutching her wound and coughing. A little blood stained her lips when she tried again to speak,

"S-Si…"

"I-I'm here," he frantically scrambled to her side and lifted her head into his lap, feeling the warm liquid seep into his clothes, "Oh princess…" he sobbed, "This is all my fault…"

"It's okay, darling…" she sucked in a quick breath before she added, "It… it doesn't hurt as much now…"

"Don't talk, sweetheart," Simon whispered, petting her hair.

"We have a possibly fatal injury," Richardson spoke into his radio, "I need the back-up chopper here now to escort us back to base," Richardson walked up, limping, holding his arm. Keeping distance between him and the couple, he spoke, "Simon, listen to me-"

"Stay away from us!" Simon hissed, spidery cracks shattering the frozen surface of the cave. He quickly turned back to Betty, his voice tender and heartbroken, "Darling… everything's… it's going to be okay…"

Simon couldn't help but think he was trying to convince himself of this more than he was her. Richardson was fearful, panicked by the tender state in which Simon was in. Calming him down was his first priority,

"Someone's on their way," Richardson spoke, not knowing if Simon would listen to him, just wanting him to hear that there was a chance things would work out, "Just a few minutes."

"See?" Betty faintly chuckled, "…It's g-going to be okay…"

"Don't talk…" putting pressure to the wound, feeling her warm blood covering his hand he whispered, "Just hold on…"

"Please…" she looked into his eyes, taking a moment to catch her breath, "While you wait," Betty's breath hitched as she collected herself, feeling a terrible dread overcome her, "…take… it off… please, your hands are so cold…"

Simon grabbed the crown and flung it aside without a second thought. He had forgotten that he was even wearing it, "I'm sorry," he apologized as his hair shrunk, "I'm sorry for everything…"

"Don't be," she whispered, her voice sounding weaker the more she spoke.

Pressing his forehead to hers Simon sobbed. He felt a warm hand cup his cheek and was met with a loving smile. Grabbing her hand Simon smiled back, hope filling him that she would tell him that everything was going to be okay. What she told him instead confirmed his fears,

"Love you," she whispered, her eyes dulling, "… s-so much…"

"Betty… no no no nononono!" he begged, pulling her up into his arms, smashing his face against hers, desperate to cling to the warmth that seemed to be fading away…

…

"Princess!"

...

((**Author's Notes:** I'm going to go sit in the corner now...  
Edited by:ScuroValzer))


	16. Rock Bottom

Simon took another step and he didn't hit the ground till the snow nearly touched his knee. Slumped forward, he took a moment to breathe and winced at the frostbitten air cutting his throat and stinging his chapped lips. The wind howling around him blew his already tangled hair into matted clumps that stuck to his sunken face. It seemed like an eternity since he'd seen the sun or felt anything warm. And he wanted to fall face first in the snow and let it bury him, swallow him till everything was numb, but there was still some thin thread keeping him standing. As he tugged against it, Simon felt that string tighten and pull him forward.

His eyes opened.

Simon's eyes looked around from under his hair, confirming that he was still in the cell, alone. His back was against the corner, legs outstretched in front of him, hands limp between his legs. He sighed quietly, the soft sound breaking the silence of the room. Not a moment later, a faint buzzing noise seeped into the room and Simon knew they were activating the com. Richardson's voice came out of the small speaker and it was like nails on a chalkboard to Simon,

"Petrikov," he began deadpanned, "stand up."

Simon ignored Richardson's order and bowed his head. He closed his eyes but just like the past couple of days, he did not sleep. A sudden noise startled him and Simon jumped a bit, but did not look up or move otherwise,

"Stand up!" he yelled, slamming his hand against the glass again, "Simon," his voice dropped, threateningly low, "Simon look at me," a frustrated growl escaped him as Simon still did not move, "LOOK AT ME!"

Simon moved, but only to shake his head and refuse. Inside the observation room, Richardson brought his hand down to hit the com again, but a womanly hand grabbed his wrist. Turning to face the culprit, Richardson came face to face with a woman he hadn't seen before, but in her other hand she held a clipboard, which she scribbled some notes on as she released him,

"Who are you?" he commanded, "You're out of order."

"You're making the situation worse," Jessica responded respectfully, "that man is clearly in a very delicate state. He's depressed!" She smacked her clipboard and then walked up to the one way mirror, pointing to Simon, "Yelling at him is only making him pull away from the real world. He needs to be in a stress free environment, given some kind of comfort."

"This isn't a hotel," Richardson rolled his eyes, but they snapped back to Jessica as she responded with sass,

"It's not an internment camp either."

"Who are you again?" he questioned, "Can I have you escorted out or do you have to be here?"

With a huff, Jessica showed him her clearance badge, "Harley refuses to go anywhere near Simon, so I'm taking her place as brain doctor."

"Brain doctor!? Are you even certified?" he grumbled, irritation washing over his face,

"I have a minor in psychology," Jessica nodded her head and smiled mischievously, inwardly jumping at denying him the pleasure of having her removed. "Now listen, stop screaming at the guy, its obviously not doing anything but making him ignore you."

"What would you and your _minor _suggest I do," Richardson challenged, puffing his chest out, "it's been nearly a week and all he does is just sit there. He won't eat unless we force him and he won't sleep unless we pump him full of drugs. The man is useless to the general if he can't even stand up!"

"He just lost someone he loved!" Jessica pointed out, "Look, maybe if you give me clearance to speak with the children, I can figure something out?"

"If it gets you out of here, fine," Richardson dismissed her with pleasure.

xxx

"What did you do to him?" Marceline pouted, tugging at the cuffs holding her to the chair, "Simon wouldn't even talk to me, he just stared like some kind of zombie!"

"Now sweety-"

"Marceline," the half demon interrupted, her pointed teeth poking out from under her slightly curled lip, "My name. Is. Marceline."

"Okay…" Jessica made a note not to use derogatory nicknames with her in the future, "Marceline," the girl nodded and Jessica relaxed a little in her chair, "Simon is going through some things right now. But I want to help him get better."

"You want him to use the crown!" Marceline snapped, sticking her bottom lip out, "You bad people keep making him use it," a sob left Marceline as her anger burned inside of her. She pulled on the cuffs and Jessica caught the special metal giving under her strength, "He's going to go away! Please… don't make him wear it anymore!"

"Right now, Marceline… we just want Simon to get better," Jessica repeated, "he's not eating… or sleeping."

"I know," Marceline clutched the armrests as she looked down at the floor, "Simon looks like a zombie… acts like a zombie… I wish Betty were here. She'd know what to do…" A thick tear swelled in Marceline's eye but she wiped it away before it fell. Marceline looked up at Jessica, her own face showing wear, "M-miss?" Marceline's voice quivered slightly as she spoke, feeling comfortable enough with Jessica's presence to ask what she was going to ask.

"Yes, Marceline?" Jessica responded in a soft tone,

"If Simon doesn't get better… a-are they going to kill him?"

Jessica's eyes widened. She clutched her clipboard and looked away from Marceline, her heart racing. Is this what Betty had been going through all this time? These things weren't things at all… they were people. She had known they were considered intelligent, but in just one day of being around them, she saw how nobody seemed to take any of this into account. These were people…they were doing these terrible things to _people_. No wonder Betty always looked so worn. How demoralized were the officers if they didn't see the problem?

Marceline's question finally processed. Jessica looked into the little girl's face, pressing her lips together to keep in the truth. Whether they meant to or not, she knew what they would do with Simon if he lost his value. The sickening part was that she had been asked to work on this project and she had agreed with a smile. At the time it seemed harmless, but now after seeing the way the physical and mental health of Simon and Marcy were treated as more of a nuisance, Jessica suspected they would get everything they needed from Simon while he was healthy and then… everything else they could when his health didn't matter so much. But could she tell that to the watery eyed little girl sitting across from her?

"Simon will get better," Jessica promised from her heart, bearing the weight of his life on her shoulders. Betty had been her friend and she felt like that was the least she could do in her memory, try to finish what she started, "he _will_."

…

"Hello Jessica," Bubblegum greeted, eyeing her suspiciously, "may I ask what you and Marceline spoke about?"

"Why?" Jessica shook her head, always needing a mental prep when dealing with the proper, pink little princess, "Did Marceline mention something you didn't like?"

"You promised her Simon will get better," Bubblegum's brow furrowed, "If he doesn't get better, we both know what will happen to him. Marceline will be beyond distraught. That was a cruel trick you played on her."

"It wasn't a trick," Jessica locked eyes with Bubblegum to express her determination, "Look… I just want to help."

"Mertins wanted to "help"," Bubblegum rolled her eyes, "none of you can help."

"And what…? _You_ can help him?" Jessica dug her pencil lead into the paper, so irritated with the teenager's condescending attitude, "You know the answers to everything?"

"I know the answers to what is relative to me," Bubblegum pulled her hands easily from the cuffs, rubbed her wrists and adjusted her clothes just to mock Jessica, "Unlike you, when I say I can do something, I actually mean it."

"Okay… what then?" Jessica exclaimed, tossing her clipboard on the floor in frustration, "Tell me how to save him!"

"You didn't say please."

"You little shit…" Jessica muttered low enough so that Bubblegum couldn't hear her,

"Pardon?" Bubblegum quirked a brow, trying to decide if she heard Jessica correctly, "Did you just say-"

"Please," Jessica cut her off and flashed a showy smile, "Please dear, tell me. I'm actually quite interested to know."

"Simon relies on others to keep him grounded. He's become extremely dependant on Betty's presence, her affection… he loves her." Bubblegum looked down at her hands and flexed them, thinking deeply, "What he needs is someone who is his equal to help bear the weight of it all."

"Okay," Jessica nodded, agreeing, "but… see Betty is…"

"I want to be that person," Bubblegum raised her hand to mock the gesture, "I owe it to her."

"Well, you do your best," Jessica rolled her eyes as she picked her clipboard off the floor and wrote some notes down, "Just let me know what I can do to help."

"I want a dress," Bubblegum stated and Jessica looked up at her inquisitively, "and candy. I need both."

"What kind of demands are those?" Jessica's eyes darted about the room as her confusion peaked, "A dress and candy… what, are you gonna throw him a party?"

"Let me speak to Richardson," Bubblegum folded her hands in her lap, annoyed with Jessica's comment, "and we will get this whole thing sorted out."

xxx

Bubblegum waited for the automatic door to open and stepped inside the cell. She tilted her head as her eyes befell Simon, huddled in the corner with his arms around his knees. Taking her time, she walked up to him and stopped just at his feet. Looking down she folded her hands over one another and sighed softly. Reaching out with one hand, she let it hover over his head for a moment, feeling the chill of the aura that surrounded him before she gently set her palm on the top of his head. Simon visibly relaxed at the simple touch. Smiling, Bubblegum lightly smoothed his hair as she kneeled in front of him. As if his joints were rusty he looked up and she saw his white eyes looking at her though his matted bangs. Putting on an encouraging face, she ran her fingers through the hair that wasn't tangled and he leaned into her palm.

They locked eyes and Simon leaned forward, quickly wrapping his arms around her and holding fast. He clamped his eyes shut as she gently returned the hug, wrapping her arms around his neck, her right hand gently massaging his scalp. Simon nestled his face into her shoulder like a frightened child and showed no signs of moving anytime soon. He breathed in her sweet scent and relaxed. Leaning back to sit with her legs off to the side Bubblegum held and made him feel comfortable. In her arms, Simon felt like he'd found something he needed. His breathing slowed and she soon realized that he had fallen asleep. Bubblegum didn't mind, she shifted his weight a bit so she could hold him longer and rested the side of her head against his.

…

"That's it?" Richardson let out a frustrated sigh as he pinched his brow, "A goddamned hug?" he reached out to hit the com when Jessica again yanked his hand away, "What is it now?"

"Use your eyes," she sighed, pointing to Simon, "He's sleeping. Let him sleep."

"Very well," he replied, puling his shirt down, "but when he wakes up, we're going to have to have a talk with him. This kind of behavior is unacceptable when we're trying to save what's left of the world."

"Don't his feelings matter to you at all?" Jessica pondered aloud as she placed her hand on the glass. She'd never seen Simon in this setting before and a part of her felt guilty for believing all those horror stories about him- he looked so fragile and gentle, "He's obviously in a lot of pain."

Xxx

Simon opened his eyes and saw a ceiling. The fan was on, spinning, hitting him with a cool breeze. He sat up and looked around, scratching behind his neck. Everything in the apartment seemed to be in order, aside from the temperature. Letting out a sigh, he was shocked to see his own breath. Shaking his head of yet another strange dream, Simon stood and stretched his legs, then cracked his back and neck. Sure, he was in his forties but he wasn't an old man quite yet. Yawning, Simon shuffled into the kitchen and prepared a cup of coffee stronger than what he usually liked it to be. It was hard to explain but he felt so tired and worn, like he hadn't slept in a week. The door to the apartment opened and he heard someone run inside, the pitter-patter of little feet. Curious, Simon peeked out into the living room. Nobody was there, or so it seemed.

He walked out, scratching his fluffy brown hair while leaving his coffee on an adornment table. Surely he wasn't hearing things. Somebody had to have walked in. Simon went to the center of the room and looked around, missing the nimble figure climbing onto the back of the couch. It crouched, smiling from ear to ear, wound like a spring. As it leapt, it let out a booming roar and the unsuspected impact knocked Simon clean off his feet. He let out a surprised, somewhat shrill yelp as he collided with the floor,

"Ha ha, I got you!"

"That you did, Marceline," Simon chuckled as he reached up and pet her on the head, "you got me," he paused and made a serious face. When he gained enough concern from Marceline, Simon leaned in close and whispered, "And now I've got you!"

Rolling her over he proceeded to tickle the girl as much as he could, laughing as she kicked and squealed, snorting from her own laughter. Marceline tried tickling back but she was immobilized. Their laughter filled the room and only subsided when they heard the lock turn. Both snapped to look at one another,

"Code Cool," Simon whispered, "Mom doesn't like it when we roughhouse!"

"Okay," Marceline nodded as she jumped to her feet and straightened her dress, "Code Cool!" She ran to the table and grabbed the coffee Simon had left there. Simon leapt across the coffee table and landed on the couch, assuming a relaxing pose just as Betty walked into the room, "Here you go," Marceline said sweetly as she handed Simon the mug from over the back of the couch,

"Thank you, darling," Simon smiled at Marceline before looking over at Betty, "Princess! You're home early! What a surprise, right Marceline?"

"Yeah!" Marceline cheered as she ran to Betty with open arms. The young girl wrapped her arms around Betty and hugged tightly before running over to the couch to sit with Simon.

Betty smiled warmly. It was always such a pleasant sight to see her two favorite people when she got home. Her gaze fell on Simon and he caught the twinkle in them. Giving her the eyebrows, Simon set his mug down and turned to Marceline,

"Little princess," he said sweetly, "Momma and me are going to go catch up on each other's day real quick," Leaning over her Simon gave her a light kiss on the top of her head, "brb."

"Okay," Marceline smiled as he handed her the remote. She turned on the TV as Simon and Betty walked off towards their bedroom.

…

Simon shut the bedroom door, stumbling as Betty grabbed and led him by his bowtie. His olive cheeks turned red as she turned and wrapped her arms around him, leaning in till the embrace bled into a passionate kiss. Simon cupped her warm cheek and wrapped an arm around her midsection to dip her back. He stepped and she followed, going along with the dance,

"You always enjoyed dancing," Betty giggled as he danced her in a slow circle, "even the not-so-tasteful-kind," Simon blushed deeply and looked away, clearing his throat,

"It's all in good fun, Princess," he said at last, leaning in to kiss her softly, "So… how was your day?"

"They said we have to prepare for the war," Betty looked down and then up, "I'm concerned about it…"

"Don't be darling," Simon smiled and twirled her out so that the back of her legs hit the bed, she lost balance and sat, "everything will work out."

"I know," Betty brought her bangs behind her ear and pursed her lips, " 'cause I've got my Simon, right?"

"Exactly," he replied matter-of-factly as he approached her, a bounce to his steps, "baby, everything's fine as long as you have your Simon…" lightly cupping her chin he tilted her head back and kissed her with tender affection. As he pulled back, he whispered lovingly, "and I have my Betty."

"And we have our Marcy," Betty added lightly kissing his lips. Simon gave her a little look and kissed her back, bringing his knee up on the edge of the bed between her legs,

"You know I was thinking," he said with a light chuckle, "Poor Marcy needs someone, doesn't she?"

"Marcy has us, Simon."

"Nah," Simon smirked as he crawled up onto the bed, "she needs a little sister… or brother…"

"Are you trying to give me a hint, Mr. Petrikov?"

"Only as loudly as possible, Mrs. Petrikov" Betty reached up with her left hand, ring glistening in the light as she ran her fingers through his hair. Simon closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. He followed her arm to her face and kissed her, "… Princess."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as he lifted and moved her further up on the bed. The kiss deepened as her fingers dug into his hair and he got his arm under her head and held her close. Their breath mingled with wanting whispers till Betty screamed Simon's name. Simon sat up, breathing heavily, eyes wide. Betty was looking up at him, surprise and fear on her face as she grabbed her mouth. Worried, Simon went to grab her hand but was petrified by what he saw,

"What…" he looked from one blue clawed hand to the other as Betty flailed beneath him, screaming, "Wait, Princess…what happened are you hurt!?" Simon grabbed her wrists to keep her from hitting him. As he moved her wrists, Simon saw the gash on her lip and the blood trickling down the corner of her mouth. In his shock, Simon loosened his grip and Betty pulled away. As Simon attempted to hang onto her, he drew long red scratches on her arms. Horrified, Simon looked down at his hands and then back up at Betty who was crying and terrified, scrambling to get away from him.

"No… Betty… Princess, I didn't mean it," he pleaded, chasing her as she ran from the bed, "Wait, baby I'm sorry!"

Betty ran out of the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her, leaving Simon confused and alone. He grabbed his hand in disbelief and ran to the bathroom. He saw his reflection and wanted to cry- he was a monster. Simon smashed the mirror and clutching his head, ran back out into the room where something golden caught his eye. It was the crown. He picked it up and held it carefully,

"Are you all that's left to keep me company?" he whispered hoarsely, then remembered, "Marceline." Throwing the crown down on the bed Simon ran out to the living room, only… when he left his bedroom he found himself in a city, "M-Marceline!?" he called out desperately. Bombs started falling and Simon stumbled every time they hit, but all he could think about was his baby girl and his princess out there, "Priiiiiincess! Maaaaaarcy!" he called, choking as he fought back panicked tears, "Where are you? Please… I'm sorry, come back!" The ash fell heavy from the red sky and Simon looked up.

'_Simon…_' he heard the voice call out, '_I didn't leave you, poor baby,_' Simon looked around to pinpoint the voice and eventually found its source. He dug the crown out of the rubble and hugged it to his chest, '_Together again Simon,_' it lulled, '_just you and me._'

"Please," Simon whimpered, "please bring them back. I'm scared… and cold…"

'_Simon… you are only tormenting yourself_,' the crown spoke as if it were talking to an insolent child, '_THIS is the result of your selfish desires!_'

Simon's blue face paled as the crown faded away, replaced by the limp body of his precious princess. He could feel her skin, cold and clammy and lifeless in his hands and he sobbed. Holding her body he screamed out in anguish, his cries carrying on the wind as she faded away,

"Princess!" he called out, searching for her, always searching… he loved, needed her, "Please come back… I didn't mean it! I love you!" Chest heaving, Simon struggled to catch his breath as he ran through the wreckage searching for her, "Please give her back to me! I'll do anything you want, my princess… my baby girl… please…" Simon's knees buckled and he fell to the floor, "Give them back…"

'_The next time we meet my king_,' the voice whispered in his ear and wove around him, '_you will let me do what needs to be done_,' it said, the cold air like a kiss to his cheek,

"… I don't want to fade away," he whimpered,

'_You will never fade away my king_,' the crown cooed, appearing in his hands, '_we're a team, remember?_'

"That's true…" Simon nodded, "Okay, I promise… can I see my princess now?"

'_Of course, my king_,' Simon felt the crown smile, '_just open your eyes. Your princess is waiting for you._'

xxx

Simon opened his eyes and saw a ceiling. His head was throbbing as he tried to sit up. A small, feminine hand pressed down on his chest and he lay back down. Looking up at her, Simon's eyes widened. His princess smiled and brushed his bangs aside,

"You need to rest," she tucked him in with her free hand, knowing how it soothed him to have his hair played with, "You're exhausted."

"Am I dreaming?" he said, surprised by the dryness of his throat,

"Need to be asleep to dream," her soft sigh made him smile and he turned his head towards her hand. "Just try to relax, Simon."

"Okay… B… B…" She looked at him with an unreadable expression as he struggled to find her name. Eyes squinting, Simon bit his lip and tried, he really tried, but all that came to mind was-

"Princess."

"Huh?" Simon locked eyes with her as she bent down to kiss his forehead,

"Princess?" she tried again and this time Simon gazed lovingly at her,

"Yeah…" he said in a daze, "You're my princess aren't you?"

As Simon nestled into the bed and made himself comfortable his princess smiled sweetly, "I am, Simon," kissing his temple again she whispered, "And I'm never leaving you."

xxx

((Author's Notes: *ahem* well... some of you are probably pretty upset, but there is always a method to my madness. Hope you got your weekly dose of feels and do R&R, it just makes my day!))


	17. Your Princess is in Another Castle

A few days went by.

It seemed strange to Marceline that Simon was smiling so happily, almost like nothing had happened. Bubblegum had explained to her that this was what she called a "mourning" phase and it was perfectly healthy and normal. In a way it was a phase, Simon was in absolute and complete denial. But as Marceline sat beside him on the bed, her head resting on his arm as he showed her the picture in the book she let these things go. Marceline was still a little girl and she was, at the moment, just happy to have her Simon back to normal. He ruffled her hair and kissed the top of her head affectionately,

"Marcy, are you enjoying the story dear?" he asked as he met her smile, "You keep dozing off."

"Oh no," she said, shaking her head as she rubbed her eye, "I was just thinkin'."

"Thinking about what?" his soft, amused chuckle pinched the child's brows as she felt slightly patronized,

"I have plenty to think about sometimes!"

"Okay, okay…" he dismissed his inquiry, giving her a light nudge with his arm, "back to the story then,"

"Can it wait just a moment?"

Simon and Marcy looked up as Bubblegum came into the room; she wore a blue dress with poofy straps that hung over her shoulders. Walking up to the bed with a smile, several trays in hand, she had this air about her that made Marceline's mouth flatten into a line. Bubblegum was put in charge of caring for Simon, and Marceline had to admit that she was doing a wonderful job, but… something was bothering her. The pink woman sat at the edge of the bed so that Simon was beside her and passed out the trays. Marceline noticed that when Simon took his he brushed his fingers against her hand seemingly on purpose. Simon tossed the book onto the bed and it lay in front of Marceline, forgotten as Bubblegum tucked a napkin onto his shirt,

"Now please… eat everything this time," she told him, patting the napkin flat before leaning back, "you are looking a little too thin."

"I'm on a new diet," Simon laughed. "Guess I took it a little overboard," his white brows furrowed and dropped as he saw his plate, "Fish again…"

"Fish is what's best for you to eat," Bubblegum explained as she nudged his hand, encouraging him to eat, "so stop complaining!"

"It's not like I hate fish," Simon shrugged, "I like it… it's just…" As Simon put his hands up to gesture holding something his eyes grew wide with excitement, "I would really like a _burger_ once in a while, or… o-or some _tacos!_"

"Fish tacos?" Marceline asked, her cheeks full of food,

"I'd even accept fish tacos if it came with some Spanish rice and beans baby girl," he laughed, tussling her hair. "Hey… what did you get for lunch anyways?"

Simon leaned over Marceline, trying to see the grilled cheese she'd been given, "Simon! Eat your fish so you get better!" she snapped as she attempted to hide her food from him,

"I'll trade with you," he whined, reaching over for half of her sandwich, "you can have my-"

Bubblegum grabbed Simon's wrist. He froze, turned and looked at her questioningly as she brought his hand back to his lap, "Simon… there is a reason you're given fish to eat. It's most compatible with your body," she explained more firmly as she placed the fork back in his hand, "you need to eat your fish."

"Make me," he sneered, wiggling his eyebrows. Bubblegum grew flustered and looked away, worrying Simon, "Princess?"

Bubblegum snapped her head up and locked eyes with him, her pink cheeks darkening. A quick glance downward and she caught Marceline staring at her; pulling her hair to one side she felt a strange anxiousness that could not be quelled. Standing with her plate in hand she motioned to leave the two, but Simon leaned over the edge of the bed and grabbed a fistful of her dress,

"Woah! Wait… I'm sorry," he apologized, giving the fabric a light tug, "I'll eat the fish. Please stay."

"I'm actually not that hungry," it wasn't completely a lie, Bubblegum didn't really have to eat in the same sense as Simon and Marcy. "You eat and finish reading Marcy that story and I'll be back before you know it," Simon released her dress and she flashed him a smile. Before leaving Bubblegum gave Marceline a look, "Come get me if he needs anything, Marcy."

"Sure thing, _Princess_," Marceline grumbled as she leaned her head against Simon's arm. Once Bubblegum had left, Marceline looked up at Simon as he ate his food mechanically, "Simon… why do you call her Princess?" she asked quietly, in case Bubblegum was eavesdropping,

"Huh," he quirked his head quizzically as he took another bite of fish, "… why because she's sweet and loving and… beautiful. Just like a princess," Simon's eyes glazed over as he stared off into space, momentarily losing himself. Marceline opened her mouth to speak, to tell him this princess wasn't his, but Simon cut her off with a wistful, "And she's my princess. You're young now Marcy, but some day you'll fall in love and understand… she makes me so happy."

"She makes you happy?" Marceline slowly lowered her head,

"Sweetheart…" Simon was concerned by her tone. He wrapped his arm around and hugged her against his side, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she shook her head and offered him the other half of her grilled cheese, "Here, I'm not that hungry… do you still want it?"

"No, honey… it's okay," Simon smiled and declined the offer. "You need to eat, you're a growing girl after all! A growing half-demon girl," he chuckled, giving her a gentle squeeze, "now eat your food, okay?"

"I… want you to have it," Marcy meekly pouted, offering it to him again, "it will make you happy right?"

"Marceline?" Simon put his plate aside, having an inkling as to this sudden behavior. He picked Marcy up and set her in his lap for a little heart to heart, "Now sweetie… what's going on here?" he asked, tilting her chin up, "And don't tell old Simon 'nothing,' because _something_ is going on."

"Uh…" Marceline looked away, "I just… I want you to be happy."

"Aw, sweety…" Simon pulled Marcy into a firm hug, like he never wanted to let her go, "You make me happy darling," he kissed the top of her head and released her, "But you know dear, there are different kinds of happiness… different kinds of love… but, see, Marcy… that doesn't mean I love you any less," his voice was soft and assuring, "you understand?"

Marcy really didn't, but she wanted Simon to relax so she nodded, "Yeah, Simon… I do."

"Now eat your food and don't feel guilty about it… I really should eat better things than grilled cheese," when he noted the dower expression Marcy held beneath her bangs, Simon tickled her till she laughed, "That's better!" he laughed and placed her back by his side, "Now eat up kiddo and after I'll finish that story and then… old Simon's going to take a little nap," he stretched, raising his arms high over his head.

"Okay," Marceline nibbled on her sandwich, "c-can I nap with you?"

"Um… sure," Simon smiled, "I thought you were too old for naps," he quoted, amused by the way she pouted,

"Well all this cheese is making me sleepy!"

"Sensitive," he chuckled, sifting through his brown rice and shaking his head.

xxx

Simon was walking through the city, ash falling around him. He watched the buildings crumble. He stopped at a crossroad and looked both ways; one was white and the other was dark though he could see something glowing faintly in the distance. Curious, Simon began walking towards that little light. The wind pushed him back and Simon had to stop. A voice sung out from the lit path and he turned around. It drew him in and he began walking. The ash turned to snow and Simon felt a smile grow on his face. There was a figure standing in the street with their back to him and the sight of this person made Simon's heart pound in his chest. He ran to them despite the cold burning his lungs and only stopped when he was but a foot away. Simon reached up, longing to touch them.

The figure turned its head slightly but did not show their face. Simon heard it speak, couldn't understand the words but the voice was melodic and drew him nearer. He pressed himself against its back and wrapped his arms around it. Kissing the sweet scented hair that fell to the woman's shoulder blades, Simon began to feel like he was floating. Eyes closed and lost in bliss, he missed the snow melting back to ash. When he opened his eyes and realized the light and snow was disappearing, Simon let the figure go. It turned around as if on a swivel, expression doll-like,

"I need…" it whispered, reaching up and touching his face, "… I…"

"What's going on?" Simon tried to step away but the figure grabbed his wrist and brought his hand to its hip, "What do you want?"

"I want to be real," it said sadly, "I want to be the light."

"I… I don't understand!"

The woman moved the hand from his face to his chest. Her hand sunk into his chest and Simon cried out, feeling a strange mixture of pleasure and pain. It was as if all his troubles were melting away but at the same time he mourned to lose them,

"I want this," the doll said as she plucked his heart from his chest, kissed it and put it in her own chest. "Now… your heart is mine," it said as the expression on its face warmed and came to life, "I am yours."

The figure wrapped itself around Simon, capturing his lips. He melted into the affection as the world around him literally crumbled to nothing. In the end he was left standing amongst ashes with only the woman in his arms. When she smiled, he smiled.

"SIMON!"

His eyes popped open, seeing nothing but white. Simon lifted his face out of the pillow, peering over it to see Marceline sticking her tongue out as she stood over him, waving her arms, "Wha… oh…" he saw the spit marks where his mouth had been and his face turned bright red, "Uh… oh breadballs… breadballsbreadballs… go play!"

"Yeah I'M GONNA GO PLAY!" Marceline frantically jumped off the bed and ran to the door where she skidded to a stop. She grabbed the frame and half turned, a crooked smile over her face, "Simon and his pillow sittin' in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n- eeeeee!" she screamed as he threw a pillow at her, "Okay I'm going!"

"Momma…" Simon sighed after she had left, running a hand through his hair, "Oh God how embarrassing…" shaking his head he looked down at the pillow in his lap, sighed again and tossed it aside, "Simon, you crazy old fart… when are you going to get it together? These dreams…" he moaned, whispering to himself once more, "You've got to get it together."

xxx

It seemed that a couple days had gone by and everything leveled out. Feeling much better, Simon was permitted to leave his room and did so with vigor. The enclosure wasn't anything like the outdoors, the lights a far cry from the sun, but it was better than being trapped in the sardine can that was his room. Simon went straight to the fountain and awed at the water. He sat on the edge and dipped his hand in, sighed when he felt the cold water hit his skin. As Simon closed his eyes, he heard the sound of tiny feet hitting the cement and water sloshing; a small wave flew up and drenched half of his upper body. Simon stumbled back, ripping his glasses from his face,

"Pffft-" he sputtered, "Hey!"

"Hahahaahaha," Marceline laughed from the fountain, batting at the surface of the water with her hands, "I got you!"

"That you did," Simon pulled his shirt up and dried his glasses and face. Marceline crawled out of the fountain, her oversized clothes clinging to her and dragging against the ground as the rolled up cuffs came undone, "Oh, Marcy," Simon sighed taking a seat at the bench, shaking his head, "these aren't swimming clothes darling… you'd better go change before you catch a cold."

"I'm fiiiiine," she wined, crossing her arms,

"Marceline," his voice grew stern and her arms swung limply to her sides in surrender. "That's my girl. When you get back we'll play a game okay?"

"Okay!"

Marceline turned to run to her room and abruptly halted. Bubblegum was in her way as if on purpose. She smiled and Marceline was hit by a wave of déjà vu. A pink hand tussled her ebony hair, "Be sure to dry yourself off before changing, Marcy."

"Uh… okay," Marceline tip toed around Bubblegum and trotted to her room. With the door half open she called out to them before stepping inside, "I'll be right back!"

Simon looked up at his princess with a small smile, patting the empty space on the bench beside him. Bubblegum clasped her hand at her chest, blushing ever so slightly as she obliged and sat beside him. Simon had his hands folded in his lap, fingers fiddling slightly, "It's been nice lately… no tests," he said, his voice soft, no disdain tainting it like it had been, "you know, darling, spending quality time with you and Marceline makes me happy."

"I'm… I'm glad," she replied softly, eyes darting away as she felt his loving stare. Bubblegum's cheeks flushed as she looked down at the ground, enjoying the attention. She couldn't help but smile, "Simon… you're so sweet."

"You're too sweet," he replied, reaching over and lightly taking hold of her hand. Simon brought it up to his lips and softly kissed her pinkish knuckles, the contact sending a jolt up her spine. As he pulled away, a surprised stare flashed over his face before he looked up at her, slightly wiggling his eyebrows, "Baby, you're gonna give me a cavity," he purred playfully as he kissed her hand again.

"Oh," Bubblegum flushed, freezing up, "… Simon," she pulled her hand away as her heart pounded in her chest,

"That's my name," he chuckled lightly as he cupped her chin and gazed into her eyes, "and I think old Simon's sweet tooth is acting up," Simon leaned in, "how about a little sugar?" Missing the widening of her eyes as he closed his own, Simon pressed his lips against hers. Her lips were soft and sweet, so sweet… _too_ sweet, but he didn't think much of it. He deepened the kiss as his arm wrapped around her, pulling her thin frame closer. When Simon pulled away, he was slightly out of breath, his eyes glazed.

"Simon," Bubblegum breathed, her arms now wrapping round his neck. She shook her head, trying to clear it. After a short deliberation, Bubblegum lurched forward and repeated the kiss, "S-Simon… I…" she panted as she leaned back, her arms still protectively around his neck, lips only an inch from his own, "...I… I love you."

"I love you too, darling," cupping her cheek, Simon gazed lovingly into her eyes, finding the sparkle in them utterly enchanting, "my beautiful princess," he whispered as he pressed his forehead to hers. "You make me so happy sweetheart."

Bubblegum adjusted so that she cradled his head. Resting her cheek atop the soft fluffy white locks, Bubblegum closed her eyes and smiled contently as she rocked him back and forth. His arms were around her and even though his body was cold, the gesture was warm. Feeling a pair of eyes on her, Bubblegum looked over her shoulder. Marceline was standing there, clutching her fresh uniform, eyes wide. The small Halfling slowly narrowed her eyes at Bubblegum, her mouth pressing into a fine line. Turning her attention back to Simon, Bubblegum massaged his scalp, whispering sweet nothings into his hair. Marceline ran back into her room and slammed the door shut.

Simon jumped, looking up and over in the direction of the noise, "What was that?" he asked. Bubblegum pushed his head down gently, "Was that Marceline?"

"How strange," Bubblegum commented, "I wonder why she would slam it like that?"

"She's been acting strange the past couple of days," Simon sighed. "Maybe I should have another talk with her…"

"Let me," Bubblegum cooed into his hair, "you should be relaxing and besides… maybe she needs a little feminine guidance."

"Well… I usually talk with her…"

"Maybe it's time to share the burden," Bubblegum whispered into his ear, kissing his cheek, Simon melted, "You stay here, darling."

"Well…" he sighed, "Okay. But be careful, she can get-"

"I'll be fine, Simon. Don't worry."

xxx

Bubblegum walked into Marceline's room. She found the child sitting on her bed, everything being drawn in, limbs trembling with anger. Those demon eyes looked up at her, but as piercing as they were, Bubblegum did not flinch. Bubblegum looked back with a blank stare at first, then shifted her expression to show disappointment,

"Marceline it is not polite to stare," Bubblegum had her hands folded in front of her, looking down at Marceline dominantly. "Why are you acting this way? Everything is going so well, I don't understand."

"I saw you," Marceline pouted, ducking her head further into her shoulders, "You… you let him kiss you!"

"Was I supposed to push him away?" Bubblegum's voice was dead flat and calm as she walked to the foot of the bed, "I was just doing what he wanted, Marceline."

"No!" Marceline snapped, shaking her head and covering her ears, "Bubs that's not what you said you were gonna do! Y-you said you were going to help him get _better_!"

"And isn't he better?" she challenged softly, taking a seat beside Marceline. Bubblegum tenderly brought Marcy closer and cradled her the way Betty used to, "Simon is so happy, smiling and singing songs for you," her voice was sweet and calm and made Marceline bury her face into her side, "Marceline, you don't understand this yet but Simon is a man, not a child like you. He requires different kinds of attention…. The unconditional love that you give him, provides friendship and gives him something to fight for," she paused, letting her words sink in before she tilted Marcy's chin up so she would look at her, "But Marceline… There is a level of companionship you cannot provide or understand. Understand?"

"No?" Marcy's face filled with confusion, though Bubblegum could tell that she was struggling to find an answer, "Bubs everyone keeps asking me i-if I understand. But I don't," Marceline hugged her friend, not knowing what else to do, feeling so conflicted and confused. She shook and buried her face in Bubblegum's stomach as she whimpered, "I don't understand…"

"See," she smiled, smoothing her hair, "that's why it's so important to let me take care of these matters. It's too much for you, you're so young," Bubblegum kissed the top of Marceline's head and felt her relax a bit by the motherly comfort, "I don't want you stressing about these things, my friend. Until you understand, just leave the grown up things to me. You want Simon to be happy right?"

"… Yes."

"Then leave that to me sweetheart."

"… Okay Bubs," Marceline sniffled, not sure what other option she had. "You promise though… you won't let him get hurt? Those people are planning terrible things, they must be to leave him alone for so long…"

"You are a clever child," Bubblegum smiled with the undertone of a grimace that Marceline missed, "But you just leave those bad people to Bubs, okay? I'll take care of them."

"Promise?"

"I promise," Bubblegum pulled her into another hug; giving her a squeeze she knew would put an end to the questions.

xxx

That night, while Simon was tucking Marceline in, Bubblegum retreated to her room. She thought about the things she'd told Simon and Marceline. It felt strange to lie to both of them, but then she remembered that all great things come at some price. Her fingers rose and touched her lips. She sighed, elated and thought about how it felt to kiss that man. Feelings were still coming to her in a way she understood them and by far this was the clearest. It was warm, solid and made her candy heart pound in her chest- it made her feel so alive. When she felt anger it burned her insides, making her feel sick but this… this feeling was pure bliss. Locking her bedroom door she went to her bed, sat, reached between the mattresses and pulled out a manila folder. Setting it in her lap she opened it and sifted through the contents; the hugs, the kisses the smiles the way she looked at him in their most intimate moments.

Bubblegum wondered what that felt like.

She picked up a picture of Betty and focused on her face. Her mother looked so alive. Bubblegum looked at her reflection and her brows pinched together, thinking she looked like a doll,

"How do I feel that warmth I see in your eyes?" she whispered to herself, closing her eyes. Then something clicked and she opened them. Dropping that picture she picked up another and let the image sink in, "Maybe it takes two," she smirked, "to arouse such an emotion."

…

Bubblegum watched Simon enter his unit and waited patiently. Eventually, the lights turned off and she was certain he was snuggled in bed. Reaching up, she fixed her hair and let out a breath. There was something fluttering inside of her making her hands tremble and shake. She loved it.

…

Simon nestled into his bed, smiling contently as he hugged his pillow to his chest and for once quickly drifted off. As he hit that stage between being asleep and awake, he heard his door open. At times Marceline had bad dreams herself and would wander into his room. She had seemed quite peaceful when he left her, but one never knew with dreams. As he had experienced on far too many occasions, even the most pleasant dreams often took rough turns down dark alleyways,

"Sweetie… were you having trouble sleeping?" he asked, his voice sluggish as he fought to wake back up, "Marceline?"

He saw the silhouette in the doorway and clenched his sheets in a tight grip. Bubblegum walked up to the foot of his bed and looked down at him. When she smiled it was an anxious grin,

"Oh…" Simon mused, his brow fluttering, "… Princess. It's you," he smiled, eyes glistening with a bit of mischief, "are _you_ having trouble sleeping?"

"A little," her voice was mousy as she suddenly felt her throat was so dry and scratchy. She barely heard her own words over the loud pounding of her heart trying to beat through her chest. Bubblegum leaned her knees on the edge of the foot of the bed. When Simon rolled over onto his back she crawled over to him and laid between his legs, her head resting on his chest. She sighed, feeling his ribs rise and fall with each breath, "I… thought this might help."

"Maybe," he chuckled, lacing his arms over her back, "… maybe…" he hesitantly began, "maybe it makes it harder for me to sleep though."

"Maybe," a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as she grazed her lips against his shirt, "… neither of us really want to sleep."

She felt him tense up. His breaths shortened. Simon shifted a bit under her. It seemed as if his heart were trying to burst through his chest as well,

"…maybe you're right, Princess," he chuckled and then as if someone flipped a switch his eyes lost that lovely playfulness, "Oh… but… the cameras," suddenly he was frantic, throwing covers over her exposed legs and pulling her close, "Oh, Princess I… I forgot to tell you. There are cameras in the room…"

"Oh," really she was surprised this bothered him, but Simon read it as a realization,

"T-they…" Simon stammered, "I… oh God I should have told you sooner I was just, I didn't want you to- "

He was cut off by her putting her finger to his lips. She hid her confliction well under the guise of a smile. There was no turning back at this point,

"Then come with me," she paused, tightening her grip on the sheets, "I'm in the clear."

"A-are you sure?"

"…" After a pause she smiled to comfort him, "… Yes."

Simon wet his lips, throat feeling dry. He took her hand as she slid off the bed and allowed her to lead. Trailing after her like a nervous teenager, they snuck quietly across the courtyard and entered Bubblegum's unit. Once inside, Simon noticed how very sweet her place smelled, like candy,

"How did you get this place to smell so… nice?" he asked,

"Secret," she said, kissing his cheek with jitter to the action. "Now…" Bubblegum knew the words that twisted his judgment, made him forget reason, "We're here, in the castle… and you have your princess… all to yourself…"

Simon smiled, cupped her cheek, "Just us," he whispered as he kissed her tenderly, guiding her through the threshold, "The king and his princess."

(**(Author's Notes:** Bubs. No... bad Bubs... Thank you everyone for bearing with me, I know the last few chapters have been a bumpy ride. Things do get better, I promise

Edited by :Scuro-Valzer))


	18. Candy Coated

Simon's eye twitched, he smacked his lips, turned onto his side and curled around the body next to him. He nuzzled into her hair, a tantalizing mixture of sugar and lavender, and sighed contently. His lanky arms encircled her waist, protectively. Over the past weeks, Simon had grown paranoid with what his princess described as post traumatic stress disorder, often convincing him she wasn't really there, or that she was going to disappear. Softly, he kissed her shoulder, gave her frame a light squeeze.

Bubblegum set her dainty hand over his. Her eyes fluttered open.

"Good morning, Princess," he whispered, his breath sending a chill down her spine, warming her stomach. Nudging her hair aside he kissed the spot where her ear met the back of her neck. "How did you sleep?"

"Well." Bubblegum smiled, turned her head and kissed his cheek. He propped himself on his elbow, caught her chin and brought her lips to his. "I take it you slept well, darling?"

"…" Simon looked away and then back, shrugged and admitted softly, "… Not… really." He chuckled and added, "But how could I when my dream is right here?"

Bubblegum quirked a brow and then, when she got the joke, softly chuckled. Simon cupped her face and pressed his forehead to hers with a broad smile. She kissed the bridge of his nose, ran her fingertips through his hair. It was longer now and nearly white. He was still changing. She ran her hand down the side of his face, tucked his hair behind his ear. Simon looked at her longingly and her smile faltered before she attempted to climb out of bed. After a brief tug of war, Simon begrudgingly released her and fell flat on his back, his hair frayed on the pillow.

He watched her saunter to the dresser and get ready for work.

"What's my schedule like today?" Simon asked,

"No schedule," she replied, smiling at him in her reflection on the vanity mirror. "Recovery day."

"Oh!" Simon exclaimed, thrusting his fists briefly in the air before letting them drop dead. "That's awesome. I'm still sore from that stupid endurance test…" He began to sit up, but stiffened and grabbed his hip. "Ow. My lower back is killing me…"

"I don't think the back pain is from the endurance test," Bubblegum chided.

Simon chuckled lowly, wiggled his brows. "Cut the old man some slack. Not everybody is as flexible as you."

Bubblegum straightened her back and twisted her hair into a bun. She applied a bit of pressure and it held the shape. Content, she gathered her things; notebook, favorite pen, daily planner, security card. Bubblegum glanced at the clock and turned to leave. Her leave was halted as she bumped into a thin, blue chest. She looked up through her bangs at Simon, heart pounding.

He planted a lingering kiss on her forehead. "Have a good day."

"Thank you," she said, stepping around him. "Don't make the bed or clean or anything. I'll do it when I get back."

"Are you hiding something in here?" Simon joked,

"… No"

There was a long moment where neither said a word.

"I'll leave everything as it is." Simon sighed, "Now run along, Princess, or you'll be late."

She touched his shoulder, gave it a squeeze, looked behind him and left. Simon stood in the doorway of her bedroom, his eyes transfixed on the entrance. He leaned against the frame, arms crossed, smiling. Glancing at the clock he realized that Marceline would be waking up soon and collected his clothes from the floor. Simon stepped into his pants and pulled them up. He looked around the room, at the clothes on the floor, the messed sheets till he caught his reflection. Approaching the mirror Simon examined himself, his long white hair and blue skin. He stared for a long while, then his blank expression shifted, confused, unsettled.

He brushed his bangs out of his face, thinking they hadn't been that long before. This unsettled him, put a weight on his shoulders he couldn't place. He roughly combed it all back with his fingers till he held a cluster of white locks behind his head. He pulled open the junk drawer of his Princess's vanity, pulled out a pair of scissors, reached behind his head and roughly hacked away. The hair fell in clumps at his feet. When he was done, he stared at himself, out of breath. He'd cut his beard to an inch, his hair to his shoulders, unevenly because of his haste. But it was better.

Much better.

Simon picked up the hair and tossed it in the trash bin in the bathroom. He took another long look at himself in the mirror thinking, _Something is wrong_. Shaking his head he pushed the thought aside and left his Princess's castle to venture out to the courtyard. Quickly, Simon scanned the area and located Marceline lying on her stomach on the edge of the fountain.

"Good morning, sweetheart," he greeted softly.

Marceline ran her fingertips along the water's surface. She responded with a dower, "Morning, Simon." Simon's reflection was clear in the water. She sighed at the all too familiar state of his hair. "Simon?"

It wasn't till he responded that Marceline realized she'd said anything.

"Yes darling?" he said.

She bit her lip, "Nothing…"

He sat beside her, watching her tiny hand make ripples in the water. Simon smoothed her unruly hair, smiling softly. Marceline sat up instantly, hands resting on her knees. She looked down at them, then at Simon's, remembering the old photos he had shown her by the campfire. In so many words, she understood how little he had left and in the same context, she knew there was no way to help make it better. Marceline suddenly lurched forward, wrapped her arms around him, hugging tightly, digging her face into his uniform. Simon squeaked, surprised by the strength of her grip. He caught his breath and held her. When he stroked her head, her grip relaxed and she leaned away, eyes downcast.

"_Something_ is bothering you Marcy," he said, cupping her chin and tilting her head back. "I thought the 'inseparable duo' shared everything?"

Marceline shook her head, pouting. Simon tilted his head, smiling a sad-clown smile. He lifted her into his lap and rocked back and forth, petting her hair. His lips pressed together, muffling the melody he hummed, making it dreamlike. For a long moment, Marceline closed her eyes and listened. She grabbed a fistful of his shirt, latching onto him like a cub to its mother. When Simon stopped humming she cracked her eyes open revealing two glossy red orbs.

"If you don't want to tell me… you don't have to sweetheart," Simon whispered, lightly kissing the top of her head. "I just don't want to see you looking so unhappy. It worries me…"

She nodded in acknowledgment.

"Let's go inside." He scooped her into his arms and headed for his room. "I'll read you a story, how about that?"

"Okay"

"Any preferences?"

"…" Marceline rubbed her eye, nodding, "I know which one."

000

_Access granted_

The steel doors opened. Bubblegum slipped her card key into her lab coat pocket and made a beeline for her desk, taking a sip from Betty's favorite flower mug. She sat, placed the mug away from her keyboard and with unnecessary precision, pressed the power button to her computer. Drumming her fingers she waited for it to boot. After an insufferable amount of loading and password insertion she could begin her daily tasks. She breezed over the keys, continuing with one hand as she reached for her hot chocolate with the other. Despite the assumed monotony of entering data, Bubblegum logged every detail with attention.

A shadow moved behind her desk, gone in an instant. Bubblegum looked up from her screen, saw no one, but found a folder on her desk. Picking it up she read the projects code name: Sleeping Beauty.

There was little in the folder, some equations and a bunch of Simon's medical records. Nothing new. Taped to the inside cover of the folder Bubblegum found a clear plastic card key with a sticky note attached. It informed her that she was to attend a special meeting and made a poignant notation about the card key being irreplaceable. The third underline, drawn with a heavy hand, was excessive in her opinion. She plucked the card from the back of the folder, inspected it carefully.

_They accepted the proposal_, she thought with a ghostly smile.

"Hey Princess."

Bubblegum stiffened, looked up, her neck turning on a rusty swivel. Jessica put on a smile.

"Miss Jessica," Bubblegum turned her chair around, hands folded in her lap, "To what do I owe the _pleasure_?"

"You missed your weekly appointment." Her brows furrowed as she was met with apathy.

She tilted her mug, sipping loudly.

"Bubblegum," she said sternly, "you_ have_ to go to your appointments. It's not a choice!"

"I_ chose_ not to go." Bubblegum firmly set her cup down. She turned her chair around and began to type. When her chair was pulled back Bubblegum gasped, appalled. "I'm working, Jessica…"

"Oh you are?" Jessica pressed her palm into her forehead. She breathed out through her nose, resembling a scorned bull. "Well I'm trying to work… do MY job." She pulled a slip of paper out of her pocket and placed it on the desk, beside Bubblegum's hand. Bubblegum rolled her fingers over her mouse, then grabbed the paper, lifted it. "That's your new appointment. Please, be there this time."

"I have something planned here," Bubblegum said. "I'll let you know when I can stop by-"

"_That_ is your appointment."

Bubblegum looked over her shoulder, bangs over her narrowed eyes, "I see." She sighed, her shoulders dropped. "Very well. I suppose I will be there then."

"Good," Jessica smiled. "One more thing, for my records… why did you miss your appointment?"

Bubblegum smiled and turned around. Jessica grit her teeth at the placid smile Bubblegum gave her. She pressed her lips together, a sour expression. Bubblegum giggled as if the two were playing some schoolyard game. She closed her eyes, bowed her head and then looked back up, her expression unreadable.

"Personal reasons," she said.

"I can't put… 'personal reasons,'" Jessica sighed. "You know the terms of your contract, you read the entire thing."

"Very well," Bubblegum folded her hands, tilted her head to the side, smiled, "I was with Simon, improving his _morale._" There was a glimmer of delight in her pink eyes as Jessica shifted uncomfortably, hesitantly put her pencil to the paper only to lift it. "Is that answer satisfactory? Or do you require details?"

"No," Jessica blurted, frantically scribbling on her clipboard as she sped away, "that's fine, I'll make it work…"

_You little shit_, she thought, unable to fully hide her contempt.

Bubblegum watched Jessica storm off, delight swelling within her at flustering the pest. Her eyes darted to the paper, to Jessica's chicken-scratch handwriting, the oddly dotted "I's" and the inability to write on the line. Frowning, Bubblegum crumpled the paper and dropped it in her wastebasket before going back to work.

000

"I can't _stand_ her!" Jessica fumed, coarsely running her hands through her hair as an outlet. When she yanked her hands from her head and clawed them, her hair looked wild. "She's such a… freaky thing! And it's not right, not right at all what she's done to Simon…"

Jessica sat and leaned back into the sofa, closing her eyes, thinking of Betty, the only person she dared classify as a friend. Resting her head back, she sighed. Suddenly there was a weight on the back of the sofa, followed by two, strong arms wrapping around her shoulders. A broad chin rested on the top of her head.

"Don't let her get to you," Richardson sighed. "… I'll talk to my dad."

"That won't DO anything!" Jessica threw her hands over her head in a grand gesture of frustration, "He NEVER listens," sinking into the couch she pressed her hands into her face, used them to muffle her strangled groan.

Richardson gently peeled her hands away. "… You want me to talk to _her_?"

"No," Jessica sighed, clawing her hands. "I- I need to at least try and keep her under control myself. She's just so… so…"

"Be honest."

She tiled her head back, looked into his eyes, "She's a borderline sociopath, John. Sh-she doesn't know the difference between what's practical and what's right… everything is 'calculated'…"

"Jessica," he began, giving her a light squeeze, "are you scared of her?"

"Hell to the yes."

Richardson laughed a deep, hearty laugh that reverberated through her. Jessica pried his arms from around her and bat them away. She stood, turned and pointed, looking him dead in the eye.

"You should be scared of her too," she said, "she's not all sugar… There's a hard, bitter filling in that candy coated princess…"

"Now you're being silly sweetheart."

"I'm serious!" She yanked a cushion off the sofa and brought it down over his head till she grew winded, which was rather quickly. "You- should- listen- to- meeeeeeee!"

"Okay!" he said, tearing the pillow from her grip and tossing it out of reach. He pulled her forward so her knees were on the sofa cushions, hands braced on the headrest. Shaking his head, he gripped her shoulders, squeezed them gently, and see-sawed them, "Relax."

"You don't understand John," she grabbed his shoulders and shook them. "I… I have this feeling, this _chill._" Looking away her eyes glazed over, looked off into nothing. "I don't trust her. I don't understand why your father does!"

"They have something to gain from each other,"

"Yeah… but. Damn, at what cost?"

"Jessica," he sighed, pulling her into a firm hug. "The world has ended, that _thing_ is still out there and we… we need to stop it. She can help us."

She swallowed, looked back at him. Her hair fell over her face like golden curtains, and he drew them aside, cupped her face.

"Something else is bothering you?"

"It's just… Betty," she ignored his furrowed brows, kept talking, "she loved Simon so much. Simon loved her- John… John, if he ever finds out what happened, he will lose his shit for real. What will we do then?"

He softly kissed her forehead, "We won't let that happen… now, let's eat and then we can talk about this some more if you'd like,"

"Okay," she nodded, smiling.

000

Bubblegum returned to the enclosure that evening. She had stressed over completing her week's workload so she could focus on project "Sleeping Beauty." She smoothed the rings out from under her eyes and walked straight to her room. She removed her coat and changed into a comfortable dress. On her way out, Bubblegum paused to look at her reflection in the full-length mirror. Smiling, she smoothed her hair and walked out to the fountain.

Simon and Marceline were nowhere in sight. Bubblegum ventured quietly into Simon's room and found the two of them sleeping peacefully, Marceline's storybook open, lying flat between them. Simon's chin was tucked into his chest, mouth open and drooling slightly. She could tell he had attempted cutting his hair again. Marceline was curled at his side. They both seemed to be dreaming peacefully which brought a smile to Bubblegum's lips.

She tip toed over, tilted Simon's head back, pulled a blanket over Marceline, picked up the book. She kissed Marceline on the top of her head and the little half demon smiled. Bubblegum turned to Simon and lingered a longing kiss on his temple. Simon stirred, his lips parted as he mumbled quietly, a ghost of a word,

"Betty…"

Bubblegum's eyes sharpened. She stomped her foot.

"… Princess?" Simon smacked his lips, only half awake.

Bubblegum put on a smile, stroked the side of his face. He leaned into her touch and kissed her knuckle. Her candy heart fluttered.

"Go back to sleep," she said softly,

"Didn't you just get home?" he asked,

"It's fine, Simon," Bubblegum kissed his cheek, his jaw, his lips. "I have things to do anyway."

"Things?" he yawned, rolling his shoulders. "So specific."

"Oh, you don't worry about it." Bubblegum smoothed his hair with a gaze and a smile, "They're good things. Good things for _us._" She kissed the top of his head softly and whispered, "Now go back to sleep."

Simon smiled, nodded and wiggled back into the bed.

"See you soon, Princess," he said as she left.

Bubblegum paused at the door, looked over her shoulder and replied, "Of course, darling."

* * *

((Author's Notes)) I haven't forgotten or stopped writing, I just have other projects that need to be completed and my editor also went on vacation. So in two and a half weeks the updates will be regularly biweekly as we wrap up this arch of the story and begin the next. This chapter hopefully gave you guys a good idea of the new norm for Simon and Marcy and maybe a clue as to where the story is going in the near future. Anyhoo I haven't forgotten and I'm still finishing the story so don't fret and thank you for reading.

R&R


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